YGO Shipping Challenge
by Starfire Eld
Summary: Inspired by yu-gi-yaoi. I will attempt to create a serious oneshot for every pairing on the YGO shipper's list in reverse alphabetical order, because I don't want to end up copying yu-gi-yaoi. Updates as often as I can manage. Rated T just to be on the safe side. Broke 200 chapters, yeeaah! Last posted: Pompshipping.
1. Intro and Disclaimers

Some introduction and disclaimers:

One, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. No duh. Two, there will be no sex in this series. So don't get your hopes up. Three, I'm going to go in reverse alphabetical order because I don't want to end up copying what yu-gi-yaoi has already done. (and I don't want to deal with Admireshipping right off the bat) Four, _not all of these will be romantic. _I know that's the point of a shipping, but my goal is to throw the characters in question into the same scene and see what happens. I plan to write with the characters' personalities in mind and show how they would actually react if placed together. I'm trying to avoid creating crack stories here.

And finally, I'm probably going to regret this. But I hope you enjoy yourselves.

(and though I can't make promises, I will try to make a commitment to have at least one chapter out a week. Check on Saturdays.)


	2. Yuumeishipping

Yami no Yugi x Yugi x Yami no Marik x Marik x Yami no Bakura x Ryo

(Then again, maybe Admireshipping would have been easier than this one. O_o )

Ryo clicked the last piece into place.

"That ought to do it," he said to himself.

He stepped back to admire his handiwork. This was by far the biggest and most complex Monster World board he had ever created: full of hills, mountains, several villages, and, of course, Zorc Castle at the head.

_"You didn't add the swamp."_

Yami no Bakura's dry voice echoed in the young boy's mind, and Ryo winced softly.

"I thought you were sleeping."

_"You started moving around a lot. It's quite a set up you've created here. Any special events I should be expecting?"_

"No, of course not," Ryo lied.

Yami no Bakura laughed, a harsh echo in Ryo's mind.

_"You can't hide your thoughts from someone inside your head, little Ryo," _he said. _"But I admire you trying. So, Marik and Yugi are coming soon, hm? The pharaoh's not bringing his little friends?"_

"Not today," Ryo said. "And I won't appreciate it if you try to kill them again, you got it?"

_"Don't worry, my dear host. I wouldn't dream of trying the same trick twice."_

Ryo sighed, running a hand through his long white hair. It was probably about time he got an inch or two cut. It was getting too long to deal with. He glanced at his board, biting his lip. Then he walked over to the cabinet to get out the swamp pieces.

He had just finished adding a swamp to his fantasy world when the doorbell rang.

_"Best go greet your friends, dear host," _Yami no Bakura said, with a tone that made Ryo worry he had made a mistake in inviting his friends over.

Ryo jogged down the hall to the door and pulled it open. The tall, tan-skinned figure that was Marik Ishtar stood outside, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Hello, Ishtar-san. You're a little early. Yugi's not here yet."

"I know," Marik said, stepping in and sliding his shoes off. "But Ishizu insisted that I had to be ten minutes early."

Ryo couldn't help but smile, but there were dark circles under Marik's eyes, and he was worried.

"Are you okay?" Ryo asked. "You look tired."

Marik shook his head, as though to clear it.

"My other half won't leave me alone," he said. "I haven't been able to sleep because he won't shut up."

Ryo grimaced. He knew how that felt.

_"Are you saying that I keep you up at night, dear host?" _Yami no Bakura drawled.

It sounded so inappropriate that Ryo couldn't stop his blush. Luckily, Marik wasn't paying attention.

"Yugi's coming," he said.

"Oh, he's early too."

The spiky haired teenager hopped up the last step at the end of the hall.

"Morning!" he said cheerfully, looking much more well rested than Marik looked or Ryou felt. For a split second, Ryou envied Yugi's Yami half, but he suppressed the thought quickly so Bakura wouldn't notice.

"You guys are just in time," Ryo said. "I just finished the board."

Marik brightened a little.

"Thank Ra. I really need to play a low stakes game for once."

"I thought we all needed that," Ryo said. "That's why I thought it would be fun."

"Thanks, Bakura-san," Yugi said. "You really think of everything."

Ryo blushed a little and led the other two into the next room.

_"Hm. A game without a little gambling is no fun at all," _Yami no Bakura mused.

"Don't you try anything," Ryo said under his breath.

Yami no Bakura didn't answer, and Ryo sighed. Why was it that his dark half knew everything he was thinking, and yet he never knew what Bakura was thinking?

Yami no Bakura withdrew into Ryo's consciousness, careful that his host would not sense anything he was doing. Cautiously, he pushed at the minds of the other two vessels in the room.

"I agree with you, Bakura," Yami no Marik said, stepping into Bakura's soul room. "A game without stakes is absolutely no fun at all."

"Ah, you caught that, didn't you," Bakura said, barely able to hide his grin.

Despite nearly dying at Yami no Marik's hands, it was difficult for Bakura not to like him. They had the same gamer's spirit, the same blood that ran hot when the stakes were high.

"What are you two planning?" Yami no Yugi said, hovering just outside Yami no Bakura's soul room.

Yami no Bakura grinned.

"No need to be shy, pharaoh. You're our guest here."

Yami no Yugi frowned, eyes narrowed.

"I'll keep my distance, thank you."

An idea tickled at Yami no Bakura's mind, and it was difficult to hide the smile it brought on.

"Here's an idea," he said. "Why don't we make a friendly little wager, hm?"

"Sounds like fun," Yami no Marik said, grinning.

"There's no such thing with you two," Yami no Yugi said.

"Oh, come, come, pharaoh," Yami no Bakura said. "Where's your sense of fun?"

"Your idea of fun is betting your life," Yami no Yugi countered.

"And you've never done the same, pharaoh?" Yami no Bakura said teasingly.

Yami no Yugi's jaw clenched.

"That was necessary at the time."

"This is a game, pharaoh," Bakura said. "You should try to have fun!"

The pharaoh blinked.

"But our Hikaris have not started playing yet. Aren't you paying attention?"

He had stepped just a little bit closer to the door of Bakura's soul room, almost involuntarily. Bakura grinned inwardly. Oh, this was fun.

_Just a little closer, dear Pharaoh, _he thought. _Just a little closer._

"No, _they_ haven't started playing yet," Bakura agreed. "But _we_ have."

The pharaoh's eyes were curious. He stepped a little closer, almost inside Bakura's soul room.

Bakura and Marik exchanged glances. Yami no Marik grinned maliciously.

He would take the bait. And then this game could really begin.

Yami no Bakura bit his tongue to keep from smiling. This was going to be more fun that he had anticipated.

A/N: okay, so maybe this turned out to be more of Yamishipping and Hikarishipping, but I really can't stand it when the Yamis and Hikaris are suddenly in separate bodies for no reason. I think it's more interesting and challenging to have them in their shared bodies, the way it's done in the canon. And come on: polygamy is _hard. _No, I have no idea what Bakura was really planning. I was just thinking that all of them have the same gaming spirit, and each one would love trying to lure the other in to take the bait or something. Yeah. This probably wasn't the greatest place to start. Next is Yujoshipping (Possessed Jonouchi x Yugi).


	3. Yujoshipping

_Yujoshipping (Possessed Jonouchi x Yugi)_

_Please, _Yugi whispered. _Please jus__t let my words reach him!_

The pharaoh was shouting at him from a distance, but without the Puzzle around his neck, it was difficult to hear the words unless Yugi strained his mind. But he couldn't – not now. All his focus was on the blank, empty eyes of his best friend Jonouchi Katsuya.

Yugi struggled to his feet. That last blast had felt so much more real than a hologram should have. Yugi gripped the Puzzle's chain tightly in his hands. He had to reach him – he had to!

The grin that flickered across Jonouchi's face was not the one Yugi remembered. It held a darkness that Yugi had never known Jonouchi was capable of.

"Are you ready, Yugi?" he said, his voice reverberating strangely. "We're almost there now. Just one more meteor attack and you're a goner."

Yugi choked on his own tears – the tears he had been trying to hide.

"Go ahead, Yugi. It's your move."

Yugi's grip tightened around the Puzzle.

That's right. It was his move.

Step by painful step, Yugi started to move around the dock.

"What are you doing?" Jonouchi said. "Idiot. You can't win by coming over here."

Yugi didn't speak – couldn't speak. His words wouldn't pierce through. It was time for a new strategy.

Finally, he stood in front of Jonouchi.

"So what now, Yugi? Gonna make your moves from over here now? It won't make a difference."

Yugi sobbed slightly.

"Jonouchi-kun," he said.

Then his words froze in his throat, and he simply threw his arms around his much taller friend.

_Please, _Yugi thought. _Please, let this go through to him._

Words ceased to matter. Only his actions would make a difference.

It was his turn – he would make the most of it.

A/N: Ugh. I still don't know why people insist that possessed Jonouchi is a separate character. When Jonouchi is possessed, it's more like he's Marik. So this is more of Wishshipping then anything else. Ugh. Next is Yamishipping. Let's hope it doesn't turn out exactly like Yuumeishipping. And also...I know I said I would only post once a week, but I did the math, and there are 561 official shippings on the list I found, and if I only post one a week, I'll be at this for TEN YEARS. I don't know about anyone else, but I have no idea what kind of situation I'll be in in ten years, so that's not a comforting sort of feeling knowing it could go that long. On the other hand, if I write one at least every other day, I can be done in a year and a half, which is a little more manageable. So, instead of a regular posting day, this project will end up like my other projects, where I post as much as I have as often as I can. Again, Yamishipping is next.


	4. Yamishipping

_Yamishipping (Yami no Yugi x Yami no Marik x Yami no Bakura)_

Yami no Yugi paced up and down his soul room. He could hear the drone of the teacher through Yugi's ears, see the familiar classroom through Yugi's eyes, and even smell the unrestrained body odor of thirty puberty stricken teenagers through Yugi's nose. But he couldn't even bring himself to pretend that he was interested in the modern day class.

He could sense Yugi's worry – his partner felt his irritation. Yami no Yugi sent a wave of reassurance towards his partner, then withdrew deeper into himself so he wouldn't distract Yugi any longer.

He entertained the thought of searching the many rooms of his soul again, a common pastime while Yugi was in control of the body. But he couldn't even pretend that he was thinking about his lost memories or his past life. He hated to admit it, but he was itching for some kind game – not another casual game of Duel Monsters or Monster World or whatever other game the whole group played every week, but a high stakes game. A game that would set every muscle, every nerve, every sense on edge in anticipation of the outcome. He half considered calling on Kaiba, but he knew even that kind of a duel would not have the same thrill as the ones during Duelist Kingdom and Battle City.

Yugi picked up on only the end thread of his thoughts, and Yami no Yugi was quick to hide the rest of it. It was selfish of him to wish something like that. He wouldn't share it with Yugi.

He sighed, and finally sat down. It was going to be a long day.

The whole world was blanketed in the orange and yellow of the setting sun. Yami no Yugi patiently listened to Yugi's mind chatter about the new Duel Monsters deck he was going to use against Jonouchi later today, even though Yami no Yugi already knew every card and strategy that had gone into it.

Yugi's chatter silenced, and Yami no Yugi glanced out to see what had stopped his partner's usual cheerful self.

He felt their shared heartbeat race as he realized that he recognized the silhouettes standing at the school gate.

Yami no Bakura and Yami no Marik.

"_No way!"_ Yugi said. _"I thought they were both gone! And Marik went back to Egypt anyway! What's going on?"_

Yami no Yugi could not pretend that his racing pulse was only nerves – he could not halt his excitement.

"_Yugi, let me take over," _Yami no Yugi said.

Yugi slipped back into his own soul room, and Yami no Yugi blinked a few times as he adjusted to controlling the body.

"Good evening, pharaoh," Yami no Bakura said, grinning that familiar grin. "You're later than I expected. Had cleaning duty today, hm? How low the mighty pharaoh has fallen!"

"What are you two doing here?" Yami no Yugi said.

He was careful to make his tone appear angry, but it was so hard to suppress his anticipation.

"We thought we'd stop by," Yami no Marik said, that malicious smile crossing his lips. "Care to play a game, pharaoh?"

"Why are you two working together? I thought you were enemies," Yami no Yugi said.

Bakura shrugged.

"Times change," he said. "So, are you ready to play, or not?"

Yami no Yugi's heartbeat raced forward. This was what he had been waiting for. This was the kind of thrill he needed – there were no casual games with this pair. He couldn't help but let some of his excitement leak to Yugi, and he felt Yugi's sudden fear.

He was quick to pull his emotions under control.

"I'm not playing," he said. "You have nothing to force me."

"How do you know, pharaoh?" Bakura drawled. "We could have already attacked your friends, since they did go home before you today, didn't they?"

Yami no Yugi narrowed his eyes. Bakura's threat was empty, he realized. Those dark purple eyes glinted with the same anticipation that Yami no Yugi felt.

"You're bluffing," he said.

Yami no Marik barked a laugh.

"I bet that you'd catch that," he said, grinning. "Called it, Bakura."

Bakura's smile didn't falter.

"I know you, pharaoh," he said, stepping ever so closer. "You will play this game."

"Oh, really?" Yami no Yugi said, but without conviction.

"You're bored, pharaoh. You want a thrill – I am the same," Bakura said.

"We're not the same," Yami no Yugi said.

Bakura laughed softly.

"If it makes you feel better to say it. But trust me, I understand. Normal little games can't satisfy that urge: that burning need to play for high stakes."

Yami no Yugi's convictions were faltering. Without realizing it, he had started to shut Yugi out.

"Face it, pharaoh," Bakura said.

He produced a thin stack of cards.

"You _want _to play this game."

Yami no Yugi could not hide his excitement now. He glanced from Yami no Marik to Yami no Bakura, practically feeling the tension.

He smirked.

"Now?" he said.

"Now," Bakura said.

A/N: Best one so far, I think. Yami no Marik kind of faded into the background, though. The triangles are hard to write.


	5. Xenoshipping

_Xenoshipping (Rishid/Odion x Ishizu/Isis)_

"Well, this is it," Ishizu said softly.

Rishid Ishtar set down the two small bags he carried, glancing around. Marik Ishtar didn't even hesitate, automatically slipping off his shoes and stepping further into the apartment.

The apartment was small and almost bare, but well-kept. Despite the apparent lack of furniture, the cold wooden floors and the plain white walls, every surface shone with cleanliness. Not a speck of dust invaded the interior. Still, Rishid couldn't help but feel that he had entered a tomb – not the kind for the dead, but the kind for the lonely. It was cold and empty because its owner was too.

"It's a little cold," Marik said. "I'm surprised."

"The landowner likes to keep the air conditioning on," Ishizu said. "I'm sorry – I know it's not much, but...well...I've been living alone for a while."

Rishid caught the shake in Ishizu's voice, and turned to her. However, Marik was faster.

"It's okay, Ishizu!" he said. "We don't need much – at least we're all together again, right?"

Ishizu hid a quiet sob, and smiled.

"Yes. We are together again, aren't we?"

Her canvas-colored dress fluttered as she ran to envelop Marik in a hug.

"Oh gods, I'm so glad you're here," she said. "Both of you."

Rishid's heart panged. Marik had said exactly what he had wanted to say. He closed his eyes to steady himself. Well, he was right, anyway. That was all that mattered – they were finally together again. The Ishtar family could finally live in the light.

Ishizu pulled away from Marik, wiping away a tear.

"Well, let's make sure everything gets in. There's only one other bedroom, but I'm sure you and Rishid don't mind sharing, right?"

"We've only been doing it for the last six years," Rishid observed.

Marik laughed a little, and Rishid was pleased to see that there was a sparkle in the younger boy's eyes. It had been so long since Marik had smiled like that.

"Hey, Ishizu, let me help with that!" Marik said.

Rishid pulled out of his reverie. Marik took the heavy bag from Ishizu, hefting it easily.

"Where do you want this?"

"We can put everything on the couch in the main room for now. That's the only real furniture in here, anyway."

Marik trotted off towards the living room with his bag.

It was only then that Rishid realized he and Ishizu were alone.

Ishizu stooped to retrieve her own tiny bag, and her dark hair fell in waves around her face. Light glinted across the raven strands – Rishid couldn't stop his sharp intake of breath. How many years had it been since he had seen Ishizu – since he had _really _seen Ishizu? They had run across each other a few times in the middle of Marik's search for the god cards – but he had only seen her from a distance. He had only caught the barest glimpse of her softly curved face, her brown eyes with the sparkle dampened by fear and loss.

Ishizu didn't straighten. She just stood there, gripping the handle of her bag.

"Ishizu?" Rishid said softly.

Her shoulders started to shake, and tears turned silver by the setting sun rolled down her cheeks.

"Ishizu!"

Ishizu fell to her knees. Rishid knelt beside her, unsure of what to do – he couldn't remember the last time Ishizu had cried. What had he done when they were children? Did he even have the right to take her in his arms and comfort her anymore?

"Oh, Rishid," Ishizu sobbed. "Rishid."

"_Rishid...please – take care of your brother and sister. Protect them...please."_

Rishid hesitated only the briefest of moments. Then he pulled Ishizu to him, wrapping his arms around her as though he could protect her from everything just like that.

Ishizu sobbed into his chest. He couldn't think of anything to say, but Ishizu spoke first.

"It's been so long," she whispered. "I've been alone for so, so long."

She choked a little, and started to pull away from him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't be like this. Not when you've just come home."

Her eyes still glinted with tears, and Rishid found that he couldn't let go of her.

"No," he said. "It's fine. You need this."

Ishizu stared at him with wide, barely believing eyes.

"It's okay to cry, Ishizu," he said. "Please: let it out. I'm here."

Her eyes wavered, the sparkle rippling with water. Then she allowed him to hold her, and the tears ran free.

"It's been awful, Rishid! Coming home with the lights dark and the rooms so cold and empty. All those days, right after it all started, when all I could do was watch Marik spiral downwards, and every time I tried to close my eyes to hide from the nightmare I was living in, the nightmare of father's death flashed through me – and then you were both gone, and there was nothing I could do! I – I –"

Rishid squeezed his arms around her a little tighter, her raven hair falling in a waterfall across his arms.

"I'm...so sorry, Ishizu," he murmured. "Mother asked me to take care of both of you. When Marik decided to leave, I knew I had to protect him. I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect both of you."

Ishizu sobbed softly into his chest. Her fingers dug into his shirt, clinging to him as though he was going to disappear again.

"Don't leave me," she said. "Please, don't ever leave me."

"You're not alone anymore," he whispered. "I promise you will never be alone again.

"Never again."

A/N: aw, how sweet! I must say, despite this pairing's obvious potential, I can't really support it. After all, Rishid is Ishizu's big brother. Maybe they're not blood related, but they've grown up together as siblings. I don't know about you, but I don't think I could fall in love with my brother even if we weren't really related. (Though Ichi from Mamotte! Lollipop and Utau from Shugo Chara seemed to be able to...and Utau actually _was _related to Ikuto. Gross.) Next up is Wreckshipping (Yami no Marik x Yami no Yugi x Seto). Geez. This should be fun.


	6. Wreckshipping

_Wreckshipping (Yami no Marik x Kaiba x Yami no Yugi)_

Seto Kaiba swore softly under his breath. Duel Disk sales were at an all time low. When had this happened?

"Kaiba-nii, want me to get this stuff filed?" Mokuba asked.

Kaiba didn't even look up from his computer screens.

"Sure, Mokuba. Go ahead," sounding a bit more terse than he had intended.

He knew that Mokuba hesitated just a few minutes longer than necessary before he could hear the scuffle of his brother's sneakers across the floor. The doors whispered shut, and Seto leaned back in his chair, finally alone.

He knew he was being stupid. He shouldn't take out his frustrations on Mokuba – God knew his brother had already suffered enough of that. But the company was barely staying afloat. Even his new Duel Disk system had fallen flat of its intended projection. He was going to have to come up with something else – what other games did he have to work with? Video games seemed to have a slight increase as of late...maybe he should up the development deadline for the new video game.

His intercom buzzed, and, dreading what he would hear, he hit the button.

"Seto Kaiba," he said.

"Kaiba-san, someone is here to see you," the front desk secretary said. "He says his name is Yugi Mutou. Should I send him away?"

Kaiba felt somewhat irritated – why did Yugi think he could just pop in while he was working? But more so, he felt a twitch of anticipation. Maybe he'd at least see what he wanted.

"No, send him up," he said, and clicked off the intercom.

He halfheartedly glanced at a few more sheets from his massive pile of paperwork, but he didn't even care right now. Why would Yugi be here, anyway? How long had it been since Battle City? A month? Three? He hadn't seen Yugi since then. He couldn't help but feel a little excited. Whenever Yugi did something like this, usually something big happened. He needed something big right now.

The doors slid open, and Kaiba noted that it was the "back" Yugi, his real rival.

"What do you want?" he said, pretending not to be interested.

"Stop that, Kaiba. I can tell I've gotten you excited."

Kaiba dropped his mask and met Yugi's eyes. They were a burning, fiery red, full of that undying fire that was so difficult to beat.

"So...what do you want?" Kaiba repeated, but more emphatically.

Yugi strode over to the desk.

"I'm surprised you hadn't seen it yet. Haven't you checked your e-mails?"

"Of course I have," Kaiba said dryly. "It's just that I get about five hundred more a day than you do."

Yugi ignored the jibe, simply staring him down. Sighing, Kaiba clicked to his e-mail.

"Nothing looks any different from this morning," he said, scrolling down.

"There will be one from an unknown address."

"Why, did you send me a love letter? Could've just told me to my face instead of going this round about way."

Yugi's lips tightened into a thin line. So, this was serious then. There it was: an unknown address, and no subject. Kaiba clicked on it.

It was blank.

"What is this, Yugi?" Kaiba said. "You're cutting into precious time with this."

"Wait for it," Yugi said.

Suddenly, the screen went black. Kaiba's temper flared – so there was a virus on it, huh? Why was Yugi in on this?

But then a huge, glowing yellow eye, similar to Yugi's puzzle, flared onto the screen. Words formed in the same glowing font, in some kind of Egyptian writing. Except Kaiba could read it, as clearly as Japanese kanji.

"What the hell," he whispered.

"I told you," Yugi said, eyes narrow.

_KaibaCorp roof. Three o'clock. It's time for a reunion._

The screen went blank again, then Kaiba's e-mail reappeared, as normal as ever – but missing the strange unknown address.

"I suspected you had gotten one as well," Yugi said dryly. "The 'reunion' was the tip off. Jonouchi received one as well. However, he's in Akihibara with his sister, so he can't get here."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kaiba said. "What reunion? And Yugi – it's already three thirty, anyway!"

Yugi met his eyes, and the spark in them was enough to get Kaiba's blood boiling in anticipation.

"Battle City, of course. Three of the four semi-finalists received an e-mail, didn't they?"

Yugi. Jonouchi. And himself. Battle City semi-finalists. Damn, why hadn't he seen that before?

"Then the fourth one –" Kaiba started.

"Right here," said a harsh, grating voice.

Kaiba stood with a snap.

There in the corner – he knew that figure, with the glowing eye in his forehead, the black cloak and the ridiculous hair that was even bigger than Yugi's.

"You were late," Marik said dryly. "I decided to come to you. And where's little Jonouchi, hm?"

"Couldn't make it," Yugi said. "What are you doing still alive, Yami no Marik?"

"How on earth did you get through security?" Kaiba snapped.

"Details, details. Let's just get to the game, shall we?"

Yugi and Kaiba exchanged glances. With a sigh, Kaiba reached under his desk and pulled out his Duel Disk – the same one he had used during Battle City, in fact. He probably should have upgraded to the new version, but this was probably not the time to worry about it.

"Whatever," he said. "If it will make you leave."

Yami no Marik grinned, almost maniacally, and Kaiba couldn't deny the thrill that shot through him. Well, at the very least, he could use the footage from the security cameras to promote the Duel Disk. And it certainly beat signing paperwork.

A/N: Augh, they all end up the same! :( But really, that's the only way I can see all these people getting together: they're all insanely addicted to the thrill of games and stakes. That's the big thing they have in common. And I could do other things where Yami no Marik is involved, but I don't think I really want to go in that direction... Besides, who even comes up with these pairings anyway? I couldn't find a single actual Wreckshipping fic for inspiration. So why does it exist if no one supports it? Anyway, next is Wrapshipping (Jonouchi x Thief King Bakura). *shudders*


	7. Wrapshipping

_Wrapshipping (Jonouchi x Thief King Bakura)_

It was almost scary to see how two people could be so alike, and so different.

So Bakura thinks as he glances out into the marketplace. Though the pharaoh and himself are the ones he is thinking of, he can't help but draw the same conclusions between himself and the boy standing out in the marketplace.

The boy is surrounded by people. Bakura is alone. The boy is smiling brightly. Bakura is not. The boy looks like he's having fun. Bakura _is _having fun, avoiding the Guardians by being in plain sight.

The boy hefts a large sack easily, apparently talking to the other boys with him. It looks as though they are working for one of the booth vendors. Bakura knows he should move on, but he is curious. How could anyone be so cheerful doing such menial work? The other two boys with him don't seem half as optimistic.

All the sacks, most likely stuffed with flour, are now stacked neatly in piles by the booth. The vendor comes out, and the boy starts to talk to him, gesturing at the stack. Obviously, this is the job they were assigned to do.

The vendor considers the pile, then removes something from his pocket and drops it into the boy's hand. Bakura lets his eyes narrow. He knows that is a paltry amount, even from here. Not enough for the work done and the boys there. The boy knows it too, and his smile falls away. He says something else, looking a little angry. The vendor shakes his head, and waves the three off.

Hm. Well, that is what people get for working honestly, Bakura thinks. He starts to turn away.

A shout rings out, and he can't help but glance back. The vendor has hit the ground, dust rising up around him in a cloud. The three boys scatter – the first, the one Bakura has been watching, has two sacks of the flour on his shoulders. Bakura can't help but admire his recklessness. Trying to run with that weight, and in the middle of a busy marketplace, no less.

Bakura can't help himself: he wants to know if the boy will get away with it. He leans leisurely out of the alleyway, watching the boy's wild dash as people scatter around him.

One group does not move for him, however. He loses his cargo as two soldiers grab his arms. Bakura can almost catch the hint of his shouts, but not the words themselves. A tall, richly clothed man appears in front of the struggling boy. Ah. High Priest Seto. Fancy him being here.

The much taller boy glares at the one they captured. His lips move, and a bald man steps forward, his golden key in hand. And Shada here as well. My, my, this is quite the party.

_It would almost be a shame to see the boy caught so easily after such a show_, Bakura thinks.

He steps out into the light of the marketplace, and someone screams. It's a thrilling sound, knowing how much fear he can inspire just by being there. Seto and Shada look up, and catch sight of Bakura.

Bakura simply grins at their stunned faces. He barely catches the gaze of the boy. He looks angry, Bakura thinks. Hm. I wonder why.

Bakura flips his cloak around in a theatrical fashion, and zooms into the alleyway. He can already hear the pursuit coming down for him.

They will forget about a petty thief, he thinks. After all, I am the greater prize.

He grins to himself.

_It would be interesting to see how far that boy would be willing to go. It is a pity I won't be able to pay attention._

A/N: ...yeah. More crap, I know. This is a difficult pairing. The chances of those two even meeting are pretty much zero, unless you count the Shadow RPG game, and I don't. So, I made Jonouchi have an ancient Egyptian counterpart, and they only saw each other from a distance. Yep. Next is Wishshipping (Jonouchi x Yugi).


	8. Wishshipping

_Wishshipping (Jonouchi x Yugi)_

Tendrils of dreams tickled the edge of his consciousness. He was many places at once, and yet, it was easy to keep track of them all, in the way that dreams are. He was crumpled at the back of a school, with a short, trembling figure standing in front of him like a living shield, placing his hand in a circle with a smiley face drawn across all four hands, sliding his arm into the snug hold of a Duel Disk, and standing in the middle of an old street, holograms gleaming in front of him, and past the holograms, the self-assured, proud figure of his best friend looking much taller than usual.

"...nouchi...ake...p...Jonouchi-kun, are you awake?"

Katsuya Jonouchi's eyes blinked open groggily. A round, familiar face peered down at him, warm violet eyes curious, and golden bangs gleaming against dark spiky hair.

"Jonouchi-kun, you've been asleep since fourth period," Yugi Mutou said. "You're going to miss out on the entire last week of high school!"

Jonouchi's eyes opened fully, and he sat up, cracking his back.

"Ah...geez. I can't remember being this tired since Battle City," he said. "What time is it? Hey, where is everybody?"

Yugi laughed a little.

"Jonouchi-kun, you slept through the end of the day. School's out, and everyone went on ahead of us."

"Really? They didn't wait? That's not like them."

"Well, Anzu has a phone interview for the college in America she's going to," Yugi said. "She can't miss that. And Bakura's father is coming home today, and Honda's applying for a job, remember?"

Jonouchi sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, now I remember. It's been a while since we all really hung out, huh?"

"Yeah," Yugi said, his eyes softening sadly.

Jonouchi leaned back, glancing at his best friend. Yugi was taller, almost as tall as Jonouchi himself now – it was a little weird to notice. His face was still mostly round, like a middle-schooler, but it was clear that his cheeks were beginning to sharpen. Jonouchi had noticed last week that his voice had started to drop too. He almost sounded like Atem – it was a little unnerving. Jonouchi kept thinking that their old friend the pharaoh had suddenly returned, and was disappointed each time that was proven wrong. Still, Yugi always seemed a little different since Atem left anyway – it was the stark absence of the Puzzle around his neck. It had become so iconic of Yugi in Jonouchi's mind, that it was unnerving to see it gone.

"It's been...a really long time," Yugi said, his voice even quieter.

Jonouchi could guess what Yugi was thinking. The blond boy had absolutely no idea how much Yugi must be hurting right now. He could never understand the special bond Yugi and Atem had had, and now the ancient pharaoh was gone. Had it really already been a year since he passed on?

"Hey, don't get down, Yugi," Jonouchi said. "Don't want to ruin the last week of high school, right? Let's think of something happy – remember when we found out Anzu worked at Burger World?"

Yugi grinned.

"Of course! How could I forget Anzu-chan's reaction! And remember when Honda confessed his feelings for Ribbon-chan – I mean, Miho-chan?"

Jonouchi snorted.

"He got shot down cold, the poor guy," he said. "But then, I can't feel too sorry since he's after my sister now."

"And then there was Death-T," Yugi said. "I don't know how happy of a memory that is."

"Gotta look at the silver lining, Yugi. Remember, that's when we officially met Atem for the first time."

"Oh, that's right," Yugi said. "Of course, I didn't actually get to talk to him until that Monster World game with Bakura."

"That's some memory. I never want to be a lead figurine again!"

"And remember when you beat Bandit Keith in Duelist Kingdom? That was fantastic!"

"Quite the feather in my cap," Jonouchi said, grinning. "But you did better – you came up with the Mind Shuffle thing to beat Pegasus."

"But it was pretty much all Atem when we got to Battle City."

"But it was you that brought me back to my senses, though," Jonouchi said softly.

Yugi looked down a little, and said nothing. The silence grew. Jonouchi leaned towards Yugi.

"Hey," he said. "Don't be down, Yugi."

Yugi's shoulder had begun to shake slightly, and Jonouchi knew it was only a matter of time before he started to cry.

"It's just...everyone...is leaving," Yugi said. "Just like Atem. Everyone is moving on to their own lives – it's like none of it, none of our adventures, none of the magic ever existed! Maybe Atem didn't even exist – what if I made him up?"

Jonouchi snorted.

"No offense Yugi, but you couldn't come up with someone like Atem. He was real, all right. And so was everything else. Sure, everyone's separating. Does that mean we're going to forget everything? Forget Atem? No way! Even Atem said that we would all see each other again someday. No matter what happens, Yugi, we're always going to be here for you."

He stood up, walked around the desk, and put his hands on Yugi's shoulders.

"_I'm _always going to be here for you, Yugi. And that's a promise."

Yugi's shoulders shook harder. He took a deep breath to still himself.

"Thanks, Katsuya-kun," he said. "I'm sorry, I needed...to let that out."

"Hey, no problem, Yugi," Jonouchi said. "Us two have got to stick together – Anzu's going to America, Honda's entering the work force, and Bakura's leaving with his dad to study in Egypt. We have to stay together for all of them."

Yugi nodded slightly. Then, a slow grin crossed his face.

"Well, you'd better come with me to study for the college entrance exams then," he said. "If you want to get into the same college as me, and all."

"Augh! I completely forgot about those! When are they?"

"Next week!"

"Gah! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I did. I've been telling you for the last two weeks – you keep forgetting to come to the library."

"Well, geez – we've got to get cracking! Come on, Yugi, let's get to the library right now!"

Yugi couldn't stop his laugh as Jonouchi half dragged him across the classroom. Jonouchi couldn't wipe his grin off his face either, even though he knew he looked like a dope.

Some things would never change, and that was a comforting notion.

The past was not a thing to mourned. The future was not a thing to be feared.

The soft, blurred tendrils of the dream began to sharpen, and the world seemed to sigh and settle as the two laughing boys left the room.

A/N: the ending became a bit abstract...I wanted to tie the beginning and ending sentences. It sounds pretty, even if it doesn't make sense. :P Anyway, I'm happy with how this turned out. The two characters worked well together. :) And, by the way, there were a lot of manga references in this one, so if you didn't read the manga, then that's why you're confused by some of the memories they're talking about.


	9. Wintershipping

_Wintershipping (Mokuba x Amane)_

Mokuba Kaiba's eyes drooped, his face pressed into his fist. He would stay awake all night, he had decided. His big brother was working hard learning about the God Cards, and since Mokuba was this tournament's rule proctor, it was his duty to stay awake.

Still, it was hard to keep his eyes open for even one more second.

Seto Kaiba glanced over at the drooping form of his little brother. His eyes, hard in the light of the screen that showed the Winged Dragon of Ra, softened a little. He slid out of his chair, pulling off his jacket. Carefully, he pushed Mokuba back to lean against the back of the chair and tucked the jacket around him.

"Just sleep, Mokuba," he said. "I won't get any, so you'll have to sleep for the both of us."

Mokuba barely heard him. He was already fast asleep.

He blinked a few times. When had he gotten in the hallway? Which hallway was he in, anyway? Hadn't he been asleep in the computer room with Seto a minute ago? One of the doors slid open, and a man in a white lab coat stepped out. He turned to press the 'close door' button, fumbled in his pocket for a moment, then walked away. This must be the makeshift hospital hall, then.

Mokuba frowned. How could so many people get injured playing a card game? He didn't get it. Mai Kujaku, Ryo Bakura, the fake Marik, whose real name was still a mystery – all of them unconscious, from playing a simple card game. What kind of game were they actually playing here?

He suddenly didn't feel sleepy anymore, and decided to check on the unconscious passengers before he went back to the computer room. He keyed in the code for the first door, and it slid open. This was Mai's room. He peeked in, chewing on his lip. The heart monitor pulsed steadily, and she looked like she was just sleeping. Feeling a little weird, he ducked out of the room.

He turned back to the hallway – and stopped.

Someone was at the end of the hall, peering nervously into the third room: that was Bakura's room, right?

Mokuba didn't recognize her, and that was a little frightening, considering that they were thousands of feet in the air and he had seen every single passenger as they boarded the blimp. She wasn't much taller than him, or much older, it seemed. Long, thick white hair fell over her shoulders, and Mokuba almost thought it was Bakura except for the big red ribbon in her hair and the dark blue girl's uniform she wore.

Mokuba hesitated, a little nervous. How had she gotten here?

_Okay, Mokuba, man up! _he thought. _I'm the tournament rule proctor, so it's my duty to find out what she's doing here!_

Mokuba clenched his fists and tried to stand tall the way his brother always did, and then strode down the hall towards her.

She looked up at the sound of his footsteps, and her eyes widened. She darted into Bakura's room and the door slid shut behind her.

"Hey! Wait!" Mokuba said.

Had he scared her? He ran down the hall, keyed in the code for Bakura's room, and slipped in.

No lights had been turned on, and Mokuba didn't want to turn them on if he didn't have to. He waited a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, then glanced around the room. Bakura was still unconscious, but his heart monitor pulsed steadily.

The girl sat at the chair beside the bed, teetering on the edge with her hands pressed to her lap, shaking.

"Um...excuse me," Mokuba said.

The girl jumped, and whirled to face him. She had big brown eyes that seemed black in the light. She jumped off the chair, ran around the bed, and flattened so that Mokuba couldn't see her.

"Hey! Calm down! I didn't mean to scare you."

Mokuba walked around the bed, and found the little girl huddled in a ball, shaking.

"Are...are you okay?"

"Go away!"

Her voice was high, and young. She couldn't be older than him, maybe ten or eleven.

"Hey, I didn't mean to scare you," Mokuba said again. "But you scared me. How did you even get in here?"

The girl shook and didn't answer. She didn't even turn to face him. Mokuba sighed, straightening.

"Well, I'm Mokuba Kaiba. What's your name?"

The girl shook for another few moments.

"A-Amane Bakura."

"Bakura? You're related to him?"

She nodded, but Mokuba could only see the back of her head bobbing.

"Did you sneak on to follow your brother?"

"No, I came to check on him tonight," Amane said. "And when I came, he was sleeping and wouldn't wake up!"

Tonight? She had come _tonight_?

"How did you get on board? We're thousands of feet in the air!"

Amane shook, and then slowly, very slowly, she stood up, and turned to face Mokuba.

"Well...it was easy. For me, anyway. Since I'm not really...alive, you know."

Mokuba stared at her. She was a little shorter than him, and actually kind of pretty. Her eyes gleamed in the moonlight coming from the window, and her navy blue school uniform was obviously a little too big for her.

"What..." Mokuba finally said. "What are you talking about?"

Amane sighed, hugging herself.

"Well...I died," she said. "A long time ago. Mommy didn't see the deer until it was too late...and I don't remember much after that. Mommy is on the other side, and she keeps calling me, but – I don't want to go without Ryo-nii."

Mokuba couldn't speak. Was he hearing her right? She couldn't be a ghost. She looked way too solid and real! Curious, Mokuba poked her. She felt real. Amane yelped and jumped back.

"Hey, what was that for?"

Mokuba's cheeks warmed.

"Oh, uh...sorry," he said.

Amane pouted, and started to shake again, this time with anger.

"You're rude, Mokuba Kaiba-san!" she said. "I just came to check on my big brother! And he looks dead, but he's not! Tell me, Mokuba Kaiba-san! Is he okay?"

Mokuba's shoulders drooped slightly. Dream or not, ghost or not, she was just like him. She was just worried about her big brother. Mokuba would feel the same way if Seto got hurt this badly.

"He's going to be okay," Mokuba said. "He had a little bit of a shock earlier, but I'm sure he'll be up and going soon enough!"

Amane's angry expression faded away, and she glanced nervously at Bakura.

"I'm a bad person," she whispered. "I – I almost wished that he was going to die, so that he could come with me."

Mokuba stepped a little closer to her, and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. She stiffened, but she didn't pull away.

"I...I'd probably wish the same thing, Bakura-chan," Mokuba said. "You're just lonely. That's nothing to be ashamed of."

Amane's shoulders started to shake. Fat tears rolled silently down her cheeks.

"Bakura-chan –"

"Please call me Amane. I haven't heard anyone say my name for such a long, long time."

Mokuba blushed a little.

"Okay...A-Amane-chan," he said. "You can call me Mokuba."

Amane sniffled loudly.

"Mokuba-kun," she said.

"Amane-chan," Mokuba said. "I think you need to go see your mom."

Amane looked up at him, surprised.

"I think Bakura-san would be happy to know you were waiting for him, but I don't think he would want you to be lonely," Mokuba said. "So...you can wait for him on the other side, right?"

Amane's eyes were wide and wet.

"Are you sure?" she said.

"Positive," Mokuba said. "I'm sure that's what my brother would think."

The little girl wiped at her eyes furiously.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I think I will go see Mommy."

She took a step away from him. Then she jumped forward and kissed him on the cheek. Mokuba's entire face turned bright red.

"You're not rude at all," Amane said, smiling through her tears. "I think I'm going to miss you too, Mokuba-kun."

Sunlight suddenly poured through the window. Mokuba closed his eyes against it – when he opened them again, he sat in the chair in the computer room, Seto's coat draped over him.

The sun had risen, he realized. Seto was half asleep, resting his head on his hands. Mokuba sat up, the coat falling around him. Had it only been a dream?

His cheek tingled a little bit where she had kissed him. He touched it softly.

"Bye, Amane-chan," he said.

A/N: It's. So. CUTE! How come I never thought of this pairing before? Next is Winshipping (Jonouchi x Yugi x Pegasus) *shudders*


	10. Winshipping

_Winshipping (Jonouchi x Yugi x Pegasus)_

_(okay, this is just an advance notification that this directly follows the Wishshipping oneshot, which was posted just before Wintershipping. Oh, I also decided to use Pegasus' Japanese name, Pegasus J. Crawford, instead of Maximilian Pegasus.)_

It was a veritable symphony in orange and red, an empty classroom made of the sunset. Despite himself, Pegasus J. Crawford couldn't help but imagine how he would paint the scene. Although, he couldn't really call it empty: the orange streaked, shadowed forms of Yugi Mutou and Katsuya Jonouchi marred the otherwise seamless background.

Yugi finished pushing his things into his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and wandered over to wake Jonouchi. For a moment, Pegasus wondered if Yugi would be able to see him. But no, the boy's violet eyes slid right over him. Well. Death made one invisible, he supposed.

Jonouchi startled awake, sitting up as he rubbed at his eyes. It was rather startling how much the two boys had grown since Duelist Kingdom. Yugi had gained at least two inches, and his features were sharper. Jonouchi's shoulders had broadened significantly, and his face had morphed into very adult features.

Pegasus wasn't really sure why his soul had wandered here, to this moment. Cyndia was waiting for him to finish wandering – he shouldn't keep her waiting any longer. But he lingered, watching the two boys talk to each other, laughing, reminiscing.

_It's too bad we met under such circumstances,_ he thought.

The scene was almost too perfect, a scene out of a bright, cheerful painting, like the ones he used to create. He caught a hint of their conversation, the passing of his own name. Well, at least he hadn't been forgotten. He hoped they were discussing happy memories.

Finally, Jonouchi jumped up, grabbed Yugi's arm, and half dragged him from the room. Pegasus watched them go, feeling more than a little sad. The light was calling; he couldn't linger any longer.

_It's a pity,_ he thought. _I would have liked to met them again, in more friendly circumstances. With a little more time, I could have done so much more to make up for what I did._

Then he surrendered to the pull on his soul, and he faded, leaving behind only the unpainted image.

*** A PAINTED IMAGE ***

Two Boys and a Lingering Spirit. Sunset on Classroom. Unfinished Feelings x Sunlight x Silence.

A/N: aaaaaugh. This is so much crap. The only thing I liked was the ending, and I totally ripped that off from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I played up Pegasus' early ambitions of being an artist, used feelings he might not even have had, couldn't come up with a new plot and got around that by using something I already did...yeah. I hate in the anime that Pegasus is still alive, when he was quite clearly (and bloodily) killed off in the manga. It makes more sense to me that he would die – not that I wanted him to die, but...he had kind of lost his reason to live after Duelist Kingdom and Bakura kinda sorta ripped out his eye. That generally results in some pretty awful blood loss, wouldn't you think? Anyway...yeah. That's it. Next is Whispershipping (Yugi x Ryo x Shizuka), which should turn out rather cute. :3 Oh, and thanks to everyone for the great reviews; I'm glad you're enjoying the project.


	11. Windshipping

_Windshipping (Shizuka x Ryo x Yugi)_

_(geez, another trio...these are the hard ones. And yeah, I messed up in the author's note last time, this is Windshipping, not Whispershipping.)_

The wind was alive, Shizuka Kawai decided. It danced invisibly around her like a swarm of fairies, pulling at her hair and setting the strands every which way with an almost permeable glee. She didn't voice the thought, however, embarrassed to be thinking such things at her age. Katsuya would definitely tease her if he heard that. Still, it was hard not to feel so romantic when she was standing way up in the sky, watching the lighted buildings float past like a faraway starry sky underneath her feet. This was another thought she resisted voicing, but she allowed herself to entertain the thoughts of a reverse sky for a while, since she was, of course, alone at the top of the blimp.

The others were busy readying their decks, and for the thousandth time, she wondered why this card game was so very important.

"Wow," said a voice beside her, startling her. "It's so clear up here! And the wind dances as though its cheerful."

Shizuka's eyes widened, startled to hear her own thoughts voiced by someone else. She glanced across, and saw a boy leaning against the railings just a little bit away from her. The wind seemed to enjoy playing with his hair too, picking up the long white locks that were almost feminine. He blinked, as though noticing her stare, and caught her gaze with warm, round brown eyes.

"Oh, hello," he said. "Sorry, I probably startled you, didn't I?"

"Oh, it's fine," Shizuka said, waving her hand. "Actually I – I was thinking the exact same thing. About the wind, I mean."

She blushed suddenly, wishing she hadn't said anything. But the boy smiled.

"It's so easy to believe that something as active as wind has feelings like us, isn't it?" he said, staring off at the faraway buildings. "I often think that maybe there are spirits floating on the wind, saying hello as they fly by."

He looked so extraordinarily sad when he said this. Shizuka could only think that he must have lost someone very important to him. She was about to ask him his name when a second voice carried over to them.

"Oh, here you guys are! Have you been up here long?"

Shizuka looked back. The short, familiar form of Yugi Mutou trotted over to them.

"Kaiba-san was going to call over the loudspeakers soon, but I thought I'd look for you guys anyway," Yugi said. "We'll be starting the matching for the competition soon."

The wind seemed to be having fun attempting to move Yugi's spiky hair. His golden bangs fluttered a bit, but the darker mass of spikes barely moved. A fervent gust blasted the trio, causing Shizuka to step back from the railing.

"Whoa!" Yugi said. "And we have to duel in this?"

"It was probably frustrated, because your hair doesn't move when it plays with it," Shizuka said. Instantly she felt heat rush to her face. That was silly of her to say. But Yugi surprised her too.

"Hey, yeah, it could be," Yugi said, looking thoughtful. "Well, with all the other crazy stuff going on, I can't deny the possibility!"

The white haired boy laughed a little, and then he cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't properly introduce myself," he said, bowing to Shizuka. "I'm Ryo Bakura."

"Oh, I'm Shizuka Kawai," Shizuka said, bowing back. "I think I've heard of you from Katsuya."

"That's right," Bakura said. "You're Jonouchi-kun's sister, aren't you?"

"That's me," Shizuka said, blushing a little again. "I'm sorry, about before. I think of some weird things sometimes."

"I think its rather poetic, actually," Bakura said. "You should write down the things you think of."

Shizuka blushed even more. She had never thought of that. Katsuya had always teased her about her romantic thoughts. It was surprising to think that they could be poetic.

Another gust blasted them, and Shizuka's hair flew up in her face. She squeaked a little, and then managed to push it away.

"Wow," Yugi said. "We'll lose our cards in this."

"Better hang on tight, then!" Bakura laughed. "Maybe we should head in. What about you, Kawai-san?"

"I think I'll wait just a little longer," she said. "I like the cool air."

"Yeah, it is pretty nice," Yugi said. "And this is probably going to be the only relaxation we get for the next day and a half."

Shizuka laughed a little, but Yugi seemed pretty serious. She had heard an awful lot about Yugi from her brother, how he was a rather shy kid, but extremely good at any kind of game. Katsuya had also told her that there were two Yugis: the other was supposed to be an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. But that was kind of hard to believe, so Shizuka assumed that Katsuya was teasing her again.

She drew in a breath.

"Well, I should go in," Yugi said. "Kaiba will probably yell at us from the speaker any minute now."

"Good point," Bakura said.

Shizuka pushed her hair from her eyes, and decided that it would probably be a good idea to follow them. She had only gotten one foot off the ground when wind gusted from behind her. With a cry, her footing came out from under her, and she felt herself slipping back over the railing.

"Kawai-san!"

"Shizuka-chan!"

Two hands grasped at her arms, holding her inches away from hurtling down into the gaping maw of a reverse starry sky.

_I'm going to die and I still think strange thoughts_, she thought, a little hysterically.

But the grip on her arms held fast, and moments later, she was drawn safely back over the railing. Her knees gave out, and she slid to the ground gasping.

"Are you okay?" Yugi said, his violet eyes huge with worry. "That was dangerous! What was Kaiba thinking?"

"Deep breaths, Kawai-san," Bakura said. "You're probably going into shock."

Shizuka swallowed, forcing herself to focus on her breaths. After a couple more breaths, interspersed with attempts to swallow past her dry throat, she managed to speak.

"That was...terrifying," she said. "Thank you."

"The wind sure seemed angry just then, didn't it?" Bakura said, smiling a little.

Shizuka's lips fluttered into a half smile, but it was hard to think past the thoughts of almost dying.

_"All duelists report to the main bridge," _a voice over a loudspeaker commanded. _"I repeat, all duelists to the main bridge. If you're late when your number is chosen, you're disqualified."_

"Uh oh. We'd better hurry," Yugi said. "Can you stand, Shizuka-chan?"

"I think so," Shizuka said.

Yugi held out his hand to her, and she let him help her up. She was shaky, but she could stand upright, at least.

"You should be careful," Bakura said. "It's probably not a good idea to come up here alone."

"Right," Shizuka said.

The wind quietly whispered around her ears, like words that she couldn't quite catch.

_Maybe I am a poet._

The thought was more exciting that she thought it would be, and she hurried to follow the two boys ahead of her. Had the wind been angry? She wasn't so sure.

Maybe the wind was a little romantic too.

A/N: yeah, I totally used the shipping name for inspiration on this one. :) Shizuka is also a bit of a Mary-Sue in this one, but it was difficult to not do that in this particular setting, especially since I love Shizuka so much. I mean come on, she's so adorable! And Bakura and Yugi are good matches for her too, since they're adorable too. :3 So next is Willowshipping (Arthur x Kisara). It's an...interesting pairing, to put it mildly...sigh.


	12. Willowshipping

_Willowshipping (Arthur x Kisara)_

_(soooo, I may be wrong, but I am assuming that the Arthur in question is Arthur Hopkins (or Arthur Hawkins) Rebecca's father and Yugi's grandpa's old friend, only I'm writing this as though he's quite a bit younger, like twenty, so Yugi and Rebecca haven't been born and he hasn't met Sugoroku yet. Here goes nothing.)_

"All right everyone, let's call it a day!" Arthur Hopkins shouted, with his hands cupped around his mouth.

He repeated the sentence in Arabic, Japanese, and French, so that every excavator on site would understand what he meant. Slowly, people started to filter away from the neatly sectioned grid, taking tools and clipboards of scribbled notes along with them. They converged into tiny groups of their own nationality, and hushed tones in various languages simulated the sound of a light breeze.

Unfortunately, there was no _real _breeze at this dig in the Valley of the Kings, and Arthur pulled off his hat to wipe at his brow. At least the sun had begun to set, and the air was swiftly cooling into shades of twilight.

The dig was nearly empty, and Arthur knew he should get to his car before he was left entirely alone. But he couldn't help but turn to admire the deepening shadows of the softly sloping Valley of the Kings, thinking about all the tombs that had already been uncovered, and hoping to himself that he would be the next to find one.

_Why, Howard Carter himself stood in this very place, _he thought, feeling rather pleased by the idea.

A rustling noise caught his attention – a noise that was very out of place in a world of sloping sand. More than a bit nervous about lingering too long, he glanced over his shoulder. Nothing. The rustling came again, more obviously in front of him, and Arthur suddenly identified it as the sound of clothing sliding against itself. Several horror stories about bandits came to him, and he backed away from the slope.

A shadow melted from the deepening darkness, slipping and stumbling across the sand. Arthur paused, though his mind kept assaulting him with the instinct to flee. This was no bandit – the figure was clumsy, and fell several times trying to climb the sandy hill. It appeared injured, even. Still, Arthur knew enough to realize the possibility of a bluff, and did not go down the hill to assist the shadow.

Eventually, the figure came up the hill enough for the setting sunlight to fall across her – for it was a her, not an it. Arthur drew in a breath. Who was this girl?

She was thin, almost painfully so, and her brown tunic looked to be the same material as a sack. Her skin was pale, so there was no possible way that she was native Egyptian, and her hair fell almost to the ground, glinting a pale whitish blue like water. She stumbled again, and this time when she hit the sand, she didn't get back up.

Arthur threw all caution to the wind, half running, half sliding down the slope towards her.

"Are you all right?" he called. "Can you hear me?"

Her face jerked upwards at his voice as he reached her, and terror flashed across her eyes. She jerked backwards, which is a difficult thing to do when one is laying stomach down in the sand, and she ended up half somersaulting backwards, during which Arthur tried to grab her hand to steady her and found himself yanked downwards himself. The pair tumbled down through the shadowy sands before landing in a heap halfway down the slope. Arthur disentangled himself, and moved quickly to make sure the girl was uninjured.

"I'm terribly sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to startle you like that – are you all right?"

The girl's eyes widened, and then she frowned, her brow furrowing. She said a few words in a language that Arthur surprisingly did not understand.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But I don't understand."

He tried asking her whether she understood Arabic, or French, or German, or English, even Japanese, though she certainly didn't look Asian.

She just looked at him a bit fearfully and kept shaking her head, as though the words grated against her. Arthur sighed, leaning back.

"Well, I'm at a loss," he said. "You must be from very far away."

She seemed to have calmed down a little bit. At least, she had stopped trembling and staring at him like a frightened rabbit. She blinked a few times, chewing on her lip. Then she spoke the strange language again. It sounded like a question.

"What? I'm sorry, I don't understand."

She hesitated, and then pointed to herself.

"_Kisara_," she said softly. "_Kisara._"

"Kisara?" he said.

She nodded. She pointed to him, cocking her head questioningly.

"My name?" he said.

"_Mai neim_?" she said, looking confused.

"Oh, no, no, no! I'm Arthur," he said, pointing to himself. "Arthur."

"_Arthur_?" she said.

"That's right. Arthur."

She nodded slowly. Arthur sighed. Well, he knew her name, but that wasn't going to help him any. He would have to find out where she came from, so he could get her back home before the sun set completely.

He had barely finished the thought when the last rays of light vanished over the crest of the hill. Kisara didn't make a sound, but her slow shudder was obviously apparent. The dark frightened her, he realized.

"Are you lost?" he asked. "Where did you come from?"

She shook her head, hugging herself and trembling. Arthur reached out to her, but she flinched away. It was funny, how even though it had gotten darker, he could almost see her more clearly. Most clearly the huge welts and bruises all across her arms.

"Who did that to you?" he said.

He didn't know why he kept asking questions if she couldn't understand him. Maybe it was his way of fighting off the stress of being veritably alone at night in the middle of nowhere, Egypt.

She swallowed loudly. Then, with a shaking finger, she started to trace in the dirt. Arthur sighed deeply. She was too scared. He couldn't leave her here, and it was obvious that she wouldn't let him close enough to get her out of here.

Then his thoughts froze. He stared at the sand where her finger moved ever faster and more elegantly.

_Egyptian hieroglyphics_, he thought, amazed. _She's writing hieroglyphics as though it were the alphabet!_

She stopped her writing, and looked up at him. She spoke, a question, and Arthur suddenly thought that he might know the words. He leaned forward, taking a look at the glyphs on the ground. Slowly and painfully, his eyes flicked across the lettering, translating in his head, not an easy feat for a language thousands of years old.

_I don't know how I got here. I was looking for Seto. But I got lost. I was with him one minute, but then he disappeared. I'm supposed to be with him! I can't find him!_

It was obvious she hadn't meant for him to be able to read the words, and she looked at him questioningly. She spoke once more, and if Arthur really stretched his mind, smoothing out the inflections and turning the words into phonetics in his mind, he could almost identify them as the spoken word of the hieroglyphics.

He stared at her, his mouth hanging open. Could she really be speaking Ancient Egyptian? But the language hadn't been spoken aloud for almost three thousand years! Where had she learned?

Slowly, he traced a few symbols into the dirt. Her eyes widened as he formed the slow sentences.

_I can understand you this way._

Her hand went to her mouth, and she stared at him again with huge blue eyes. She, too, went to work in the sand.

_You can write it, but not speak it?_

_It's a long story._

_Do you know where I am?_

_Egypt, the Valley of the Kings._

_That's not possible. I was at the temple of Ra with Seto. I was..._(here she paused)_ playing a Shadow Game. Seto's life was in danger, I remember._

_A Shadow Game?_

_You have not heard of it? The pharaoh and his guardians control great beings of the shadows, and use them to defend themselves and others._

_What kinds of beings?_

Arthur was intrigued now. He had seen various paintings of strange creatures tombs recently excavated by a friend of his, and though his friend had waved them off as mere symbolism, Arthur couldn't help but feel drawn to them, like they were living beings.

_Monsters, or humanlike beings, like sorcerers. And the pharaoh himself controls the gods. He can call down Ra and Osiris to defend his people._

_You must be mistaken. There are no pharaohs in Egypt any more. There haven't been for almost three thousand years._

She stopped writing, staring at him with a strange look in her eyes – a scared look.

_Then...when am I?_

_When?_

It was his turn to stare. Come to think of it, she had a strange glow, even in the darkness. Was it even possible...

Her finger moved with blurred speed.

_I think I understand, now. This is why I can't find Seto. I am lost – very lost. I must find him._

She looked up at him, and spoke three words, only one of which Arthur understood – his own name. Then, with a sad slowness, she drew one more symbol in the dirt.

And vanished.

Arthur froze. It was a long, long moment before he found the strength to move again. Had he really spoken to a _ghost_? Did that mean that tomb curses could exist? Spirits were real? She could not be a mirage, for it was the middle of the night and mirages couldn't write in the dirt, and her words were still there.

There was, of course, the possibility that he was dreaming, but a good pinch to the arm dismissed that theory.

He turned his gaze to the final image she had drawn. He drew in a sharp breath as he realized that it was not just a drawing.

It was a piece of paper – no, a card. When had that gotten there? Carefully, he extracted it from the dirt, brushing sand from it.

The holographic front gleamed in the moonlight.

The Blue Eyes White Dragon.

Kisara's blue eyes and white hair flashed into his mind. Suddenly, he knew what her last words had meant.

_"Thank you, Arthur."_

He stood quickly, clutching the card. Whatever had happened here...he would never forget it.

"Goodbye, Kisara," he said.

The dragon gleamed in his hand.

A/N: so I did a little twofold maneuver here: I explained where Arthur got a hold of the Blue Eyes White Dragon in the first place (before he gave it to Sugoroku), and why he ending up thinking that there was a correlation between ancient Egypt and Duel Monsters, which I think was a bit of a stretch on his part without some sort of explanation. Yeah, and I have no idea if it would be possible to speak conversationally in hieroglyphics like that, but it made a good story. :3 Next is Whispershipping (Possessed Jonouchi x Kaiba). Sigh, another pairing that insists that possessed Jonouchi is a separate character.


	13. Whispershipping

_Whispershipping (Possessed Jonouchi x Kaiba)_

There was always something in that boy's face – a fire of some sort. Sometimes it was raging, clearly bright and full of unrestrained rage like a forest fire. Sometimes it was a smoldering heap of coals, stewing in half concealed anger. Most days it was a soft, flickering but dancing flame, like a calm, comforting campfire that could easily explode into a bonfire of passion and determination at any moment.

It was always burning, that fire always. Even in sadness, the flames would jump from the charcoal, desperate to remain alive. Always burning.

But not today.

Seto felt a slow shudder run down his spine as he tried not to look at Jonouchi's dead, flat eyes, but he couldn't look away. It was like watching a horror movie, or seeing a mangled corpse: terrifying, but impossible to tear your gaze from.

The emotions on Jonouchi's face were strange, pulling his muscles into strange and unfamiliar expressions – expressions like hatred, malice, and gleeful evil. Those were emotions that Seto himself had managed to discard only with Yugi's help – it was not right to see them on dumb, happy-go-lucky, trigger-happy, beginner's luck Katsuya Jonouchi. And even those emotions had no real fire to them – only a dull, flickering artificial light, like one of those fake candles that pretended to be flames, but were really just electricity.

Despite the terror rushing through his veins as he knew that Mokuba was held captive and inches from death behind him, he found himself wishing so desperately for Jonouchi's face to change.

_Light that fire again, _he thought. _Come on you stupid, half-rate idiot! Do something right for a change!_

Why did he miss that flame? Why was it that his greatest wish at this moment was to see that spark reignite?

Why did he care?

It was a question he would probably never answer – maybe he would find the answer, but perhaps his own stubbornness would prevent him from accepting it.

But he could not deny that there was a reason that his own inner fire, though concealed, burned so very brightly.

A/N: That was REALLY short, and not a speck of dialogue to be seen. I'm trying to be a little more artistic with my stories; I'm not sure if it's working. :3 But I kind of liked this one, despite being vehemently anti-Puppyshipping and refusing to believe that possessed Jonouchi is an actual character. Anyway, next will be Watchshipping (Jonouchi x Priestess Isis). Who comes up with this stuff? I'm already sick of writing Jonouchi fics, despite my overall love for the character.


	14. Watchshipping

_Watchshipping (Jonouchi x Priestess Isis)_

_(so, this takes place in Ancient Egypt, sometime after Atem died, Zorc was sealed, and Seto became the pharaoh. Sorry if I spoiled that for anyone, but come on, this fandom is so old now that it's impossible not to run into spoilers, even just looking up the episodes.)_

Isis took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. But the lump had forced its way back into her throat, and the deep breath turned into a gargling half-sob. She choked, but didn't want to let herself cry.

She walked down the hall of the pharaohs for perhaps the thousandth time. It wouldn't be long before she had to return to the pharaoh's tomb, but she wanted one last look at the palace before she went down with the others for who knows how long.

Drawing another breath, this one much clearer, she drew the gods' circle on her breast for strength. She would wait for hundreds, even thousands of years for the pharaoh to return. And she would defend the place of his eternal rest until her dying breath.

She stopped, staring at the wall where her pharaoh's history should have been recorded, next to the accomplishments of the many who had come before. But the hieroglyphics that marked his place in history were few, and a vital piece was missing – the name.

The sobs returned, and she stood with her hand over her mouth, trying to still herself. Her shoulders wouldn't stop shaking. Her pharaoh was gone – gone forever, a wandering spirit with no home, for he had made the ultimate sacrifice to destroy Zorc. His own name, renounced and gone forever, forgotten even in the minds of those he was closest too. There would be no afterlife for him. A name was an identity, and without that, the doors to eternal life would never open.

She managed to regain control of herself, but then her eyes fell on the small painting of Mahad – no, the Dark Magician – that had been added next to the image of the pharaoh, and she dissolved into tears again. So many gone – so many dead. It was too much to handle – and had it really only happened a few weeks ago?

Instinctively, her fingers went to the softly warm metal at her neck, the mark of her status, and of her power. Some power, she thought bitterly. After all, the Millennium Tauk no longer showed her the future. She was, effectively, blind and useless to the others. All she could do was descend into the catacombs to guard the secret of the pharaoh.

_It's a dismal future that I see for myself_, she thought. _I will do whatever is required to protect the pharaoh and ensure his return, but...a life in the catacombs. I would not wish that upon anyone. I hope our pharaoh returns soon, and frees my descendents from the burden as soon as possible._

Was there any light at all in her future? If only the Tauk could show her.

As if in answer, the metal warmed softly, gently. Startled, Isis reached up to touch it.

Then light flared in her eyes, and with a cry, she tumbled head first into a full body vision. The even when the light faded, the scene before her was much lighter than the hall of pharaohs, and it took her some time to adjust to the scene.

"Yugi! Hey, Yugi – wait up!"

Someone whooshed past her, a blur of dark blue and yellow. A boy up ahead paused, and turned around. Isis drew in a sharp breath – the silhouette was familiar. So familiar she thought she might faint: it was the pharaoh!

Once her heartbeat slowed, she realized that it was not the same person. The hair and face was similar, yes, but this new character was shorter, and looked younger. His eyes as well were round and violet, not sharp and red like the pharaoh's had been. Still, he wore the Millennium Puzzle around his neck...was this the reincarnation of the pharaoh?

The other boy caught up to him – a tall, blond boy in strange blue garb which the pharaoh lookalike also wore.

"Yugi, you left me behind to finish the cleaning with Honda!" the blond boy said. "Do you know how awkward that was? He kept simpering over Miho – it was embarrassing to watch!"

"Sorry, Jonouchi-kun," Yugi said, laughing. "But I have to hurry home – grandpa needs some help with the game shop, and my mom made me promise to clean my room too. I need to get a head start so I can finish early – then we can play Duel Monsters like you promised!"

"You still left me alone," the blond boy pouted. "With love crazy Honda, who doesn't give up even when he's been clearly shot down."

Yugi laughed again, and Jonouchi grinned, jumping forward to put him in a headlock. Isis gasped, thinking this was some form of attack, but quickly realized that it was a strange form of affection instead. Yugi wriggled from his grip and ran away, grinning. Jonouchi's face became mischievous, and he put his hands behind his head, laughing at Yugi stuck his tongue out at him from farther down the street.

They were so cheerful, Isis thought enviously. I wish I could be here for real.

As if he had heard her thoughts, Jonouchi's face became puzzled. He glanced back over his shoulder, and inexplicably, his and Isis' eyes met. He blinked a few times, looking confused.

"Ishizu?" he said, his voice warm and questioning. "When did you get here?"

The vision shattered, and she stood panting in the middle of the pharaohs hall. The Tauk had gone cold again, but the remnants of the vision danced in her eyes.

The pharaoh...or his reincarnation...had seemed...so happy. So cheerful. That other boy had seemed to be the major source of his happiness. Could this future really be possible? A future of peace? Isis barely dared to hope.

But those brown eyes of the blond boy lingered in her mind, the warmth of his voice fled into her heart and heated the icy coldness. And even though the Tauk had gone cold, she could feel the spark of its magic reigniting.

"Jonouchi," she whispered softly, her voice an echo in the darkness.

She wondered if she would see him again.

A/N: okay...not a very convincing one. But how else were Isis and Jonouchi supposed to meet? I have this pet peeve of mine: I hate it when people stray way far off the original canon storyline. That's why I try to stick so close to what actually happened in these, and even in OC fanfics, I try to preserve the original story and let the main characters do their thing. Well, whatever. Next will be Warnshipping (Yami no Bakura x Ishizu x Ryou). I'm moving pretty fast here; let's see if I can keep up this pace. :3


	15. Warnshipping

_Warnshipping (Yami no Bakura x Ishizu x Ryo)_

Ishizu hurried down the darkened street. She was grateful for her speed – it made hiding her trembling that much easier.

She turned the corner, coming out into a little bit busier of a neighborhood. The street lamps were on, and people walked back and forth, some leisurely, and some at a fast clip, which was often even faster than Ishizu. She wondered vaguely what these people could possibly have to do at this hour that would force them to go at such speeds. She doubted that they all had woken up from a terrible vision and were running to warn the people involved.

Looking both ways cautiously, in case some drivers had forgotten to turn their lights on, she stepped out into the street and hurried across, to the apartment complex on the other side. She might just be overreacting, she reasoned. After all, Battle City had been taken care of a while ago, and without the Millennium Tauk, a dream was probably just a dream. Still, it had bothered her so much that she had asked Rishid and Marik to wait a few more hours before they set off for Egypt again. Marik had wanted to come with her, but Ishizu had refused. She had just gotten her brothers back – she wasn't going to lose them on what might just be a fool's errand.

She climbed the stairs, searching for the number she had seen in the dream. A shudder fled through her again – that was the reason she was so terrified, she realized. She had never had a dream so real since she had owned the Millennium Tauk.

There it was: 219.

She hesitated, wondering – and hoping – that she had made a mistake, and when the door opened, it would just be a sleepy, confused college student that she had never seen before. She raised her hand, paused, and knocked softly.

Biting her lip, she waited. Nothing. No sound, no footsteps coming to the door, nothing at all. Ishizu let out her breath. Nothing was wrong. She was so glad –

The door creaked open slowly and Ishizu's breath caught halfway out of her throat. No one stood at the frame – the door had opened seemingly by herself.

The dream was coming true.

Quickly now, Ishizu stepped through the open doorway, careful to leave it open behind her. She had seen the end of the dream as well, and was determined not to let it end that way. Cautiously, she stepped into the hallway, not even bothering to take off her shoes as Japanese culture required.

"Bakura?" she called softly. "Ryo? Are you here?"

_Please let me be wrong, _she thought.

And then glass shattered. Ishizu could not stop her cry, and once she got over the shock, she raced towards the source of the sound.

The kitchen light was on, but flickering. Just like in her dream. Ishizu peered cautiously into the room, afraid of what she might see. Ryo Bakura knelt on the ground, clutching at his hand. Blood dripped onto the floor, staining the pieces of glass on the ground. It could have just been an ordinary slip of the hand – a broken glass and a cut hand. But his face was contorted with unnatural pain, as though a blinding headache had shot through him.

"Bakura!" Ishizu said. "Oh gods – I had hoped to get her before this happened!"

Ryo looked up, wincing as he did so. He squinted, as though it was hard for him to see her.

"Ishizu-san?" he said, voice faint. "What – what are you doing here?"

Ishizu picked her way around the glass, even though her shoes would mostly protect her from cuts.

"I had an awful vision – even though I don't have the Tauk anymore, I was worried. I came to warn you."

Ryo blinked a few times, and then squeezed them shut.

"Ishizu," he said through gritted teeth. "You shouldn't have –"

Then his voice dropped an octave, and a harsh edge sharpened the tone.

"Warn me, Ishizu? Of what, I might ask? What could a disgraced former owner of a Millennium Item have to warn me about?"

Ishizu drew in a breath – Yami no Bakura? But Ryo's face softened again and he winced.

"Ishizu, he's getting stronger," he said, desperation tingeing his voice. "I made a mistake – Marik's mind control hadn't completely worn off, and I put the Millennium Ring back on –"

Ishizu dropped to her knees beside him, grabbing his shoulders.

"You have to be strong," she said. "You can fight him off – that's why I'm here. I think I can help."

"Ishizu – please – you have to go. He'll try to kill you –"

"I know. I saw it in my vision. But if you'll just let me explain what I saw, I can help!"

Ryo's green eyes melted into deep purple, and Ishizu suddenly realized that she might already be too late. Yami no Bakura's fingers flicked expertly upwards, driving into her throat and crushing any words she might have said. She tried to stumble backwards, away from the dark spirit, but Bakura had already hit two other pressure points, making it nearly impossible to move except to collapse to the floor.

"A valiant effort, to be sure," Bakura said softly, standing up. He was apparently in no pain from the cut on his palm. "But I'm afraid you're a tad too late already."

He leaned down towards the paralyzed Ishizu, considering her. Ishizu gasped for breath. If she could just reach a piece of the glass on the floor…she could still avert the end result of the vision…

Bakura laughed softly.

"Oh, Ishizu, Ishizu," he said softly. "Did you think you came here by accident? People without Millennium Items don't have visions for no good reason."

Ishizu froze. Was he insinuating…

"I sent that vision, Ishizu," Bakura said. "Yes, I can do that. Three thousand years of experience with shadow magic can lend one a bit of an edge. Though I took a few liberties with the ending. Just to make you a little more nervous."

She went back to trying to reach for a weapon. No matter where the vision had come from, that didn't change the fact that she was in serious danger.

Bakura grabbed her wrist inches away from grabbing a piece of glass. He yanked her upwards, twisting her wrist in the process. Ishizu exhaled sharply with pain.

"Don't worry, Ishizu. I don't actually intend to kill my host. I need him for a little while longer, anyway."

His eyes flashed green, and his grip loosened. The feeling was starting to come back to Ishizu's legs, and she managed to yank away from him. But the eyes turned to purple again, and soon she was pinned against the wall by her throat.

"You needn't worry about anything at all, actually," Bakura said, his voice even quieter. "For I don't intend to kill you, either. That would draw too much attention to myself. After all, the others still think I'm lost in the shadows of a Penalty Game, don't they?"

Ishizu glared at him, furious to have been tricked so easily. What did he want? Why had he gone to the trouble of sending her a vision in order to lure her in?

"This won't hurt," Bakura said, moving two fingers to touch her forehead.

"What are you doing?" Ishizu said.

Bakura smiled maliciously.

"I need to take down the pharaoh. To do that, I need to know the exact location of the pharaoh's tomb – more importantly, the tablet of the pharaoh's memories. Your memories should do quite nicely for that."

Ishizu struggled harder, but it was useless. She could attack him, but she knew that would only hurt Ryo, in the end. The dark spirit felt little of his host's pain – she didn't want to hurt Ryo!

"Even with the location, you won't be able to defeat the pharaoh," Ishizu said hoarsely. "You need more knowledge than that – even I don't know some of the things about the pharaoh and his past."

"There are ways to remedy that," Bakura said, as a sudden piecing pain shot through Ishizu's head. "Haven't you ever heard of an RPG? I hear that immersing yourself in a character can reveal many interesting things about oneself."

His laugh was the last thing she heard. And it was the only thing she remembered when she woke up an hour later, only blocks away from the harbor where Rishid and Marik waited.

_What was I just doing?_ She thought.

Only the fragments of a nightmare remained.

A/N: Kind of a dark and scary one, and Ryo faded a bit. It's had to work with the characters that are in the same body. :( Next will be Wallshipping (Rishid x Shizuka). Oh, and one little thing that's kind of a pet peeve of mine: I enjoy reviews and comments, but if you're just going to say "cool" or "awesome" and not say anything specific or anything critiquing, please don't bother. It's nice to know that you liked it, but I get all excited when I see there's a new review, and then I deflate when I see that all it says is "cool."


	16. Wallshipping

_Wallshipping (Rishid x Shizuka)_

_(Two of the most under-appreciated characters in Yu-Gi-Oh, as well as two of my favorites. :) I will try to avoid Mary-Sueism.)_

Rishid first noticed her when he walked out of the elevator and up to the dueling deck.

He supposed it must have been because of her lack of anger. The pharaoh and the majority of his friends were split quite evenly between anger, distaste, and downright hatred. That was to be expected considering who they thought he was. She, however, did not seem to feel the same way. Nervous, perhaps, but that seemed to be directed toward the blond boy that he was about to face. Every now and then, her eyes would tear up a little, as though seeing was difficult. But there was no anger. She almost seemed rather content, and curious. Perhaps she did not realize the gravity of situation, how important a simple game could become.

He knew he wouldn't have noticed her otherwise. She was rather small, with red-brown hair and dark brown eyes, and she almost seemed to melt into the background. She hovered close to the pharaoh's friend, Anzu, as if for some comfort.

"Are you nervous, Shizuka-chan?" Anzu asked.

The girl shook her head, and then reconsidered, nodding.

"I know it's only a game," the girl, Shizuka said, and Rishid was startled at how quiet her voice was. "But I want to see my brother win – with my own eyes, this time."

"Jonouchi-kun can handle this," Anzu said reassuringly. "You'll see him win for sure."

She was Jonouchi's sister, then. They looked nothing alike, though their eyes and facial features were similar.

He paused on his way up the steps to the dueling deck. A younger sister...he envied Jonouchi. It had been too long since he had seen Ishizu. And Marik was more master than brother now. Did he have any family left?

"Hey, Marik!" Jonouchi shouted, and Rishid suddenly remembered that he was Marik for now. "Ya coming to duel or what? I ain't got all day!"

Rishid sighed softly, so that no one else could hear, and stepped onto the platform.

It was a shame that he had to defeat Jonouchi. It would have been nice to see what Shizuka looked like when she smiled. Perhaps she would become more solid, then, and less like the background.

Why did he care so much? Why did he want her to step away from the wall, and be noticeable?

_Because I am part of the background too,_ he thought. _And if she can shine, then perhaps I can someday as well._

He would have liked to talk to Shizuka, perhaps just once. He wondered if her brother cared for her how he had cared for Ishizu. He hoped that Jonouchi cared more than he did – after all, Rishid had left Ishizu alone.

He erased the thoughts from his mind, forcing himself to become empty. It would not do to let Marik see those thoughts.

The duel began.

A/N: Yeah, well, Rishid and Shizuka never actually spoke in the manga or anime...and I do like to stick to the canon as much as possible. Therefore, Rishid's inner thoughts are fair game. :) I would like to see those two characters in a scene or two together though, instead of from a distance. I want to see my little wallflowers bloom. And on that sappy note, the next one will be Vortexshipping (Atem x Akhenaden). I would shudder, but that goes without saying.


	17. Vortexshipping

_Vortexshipping (Atem x Akhenaden)_

_(I apologize in advance if I misspelled Akhenaden's name. Egyptian names don't translate well into any language.)_

Akhenaden meandered down the long hall, thinking. This was not really a wise choice on his part; after all, any time he didn't have anything to keep him busy, his thoughts would wander to Kul Elna, or the family he abandoned, and those were not things he wanted to dwell on.

It was even harder to forget these things now that Seto had worked his way up as a guardian himself. To have his son so close, and not be able to act as the father he should be! And his dear wife, killed by bandits, Seto had reported, along with the entire village his son had lived in. Maybe in the end, it would have been safer to keep them close.

He shook his head, trying to forget. It was hard, though: there wasn't anything that required his attention for now. Nothing to occupy his time. It was startling, but the younger guardians seemed to have it under control. For perhaps the hundredth time, he wondered if maybe he was getting too old for this.

Footsteps and the soft snap of a cape caught his attention at the end of the hall. Pharaoh Atem appeared, glancing back and forth as though lost. Akhenaden laughed softly. Fifteen already, and he still got lost in the palace. Well, it had taken Akhenden some time to find his way around himself, when he was a boy growing up in the palace.

"My pharaoh," he said, walking up to Atem. "Are you lost again?"

Atem's cheeks reddened a little, but not enough to be very noticeable.

"It's the blasted Hall of Kings," he said. "So many corridors. I got turned around on my way to the courtrooms."

"Oh, are there hearings today? I was not aware."

Atem glanced around, seemed to remember where he was, and started off in a direction, talking as he walked, so that Akhenaden would follow.

"There wasn't supposed to be, not until next week, anyways," Atem said. "But a man was taken in for the murder of a state official and his family. He's said to be too unstable to wait."

"I see. How will you rule the case, if I may ask?"

"It's hard to tell until I get there," Atem said. "I think something's not quite right about it though. The man had no motive."

Akhenaden nodded.

"Sometimes, there is none, my pharaoh."

"Still," Atem said. "I will withhold judgment until I see the man for myself."

Akhenaden glanced sidelong at his young nephew. The boy was not very tall, but his bearing made him appear so. His sharp red eyes seemed so much older than a boy of fifteen. Responsibility will do that to a person, Akhenaden supposed. It had happened for him, and his brother.

Atem paused, just outside the courtroom.

"Uncle," he said suddenly.

Akhenaden blinked, surprised. It had been while since Atem had called him uncle. Since the boy had had to become pharaoh, he had always used the first names of his guardians.

"Yes, my pharaoh?"

"I...if the man is guilty, then will I have to sentence him to death?"

With greater surprise, Akhenaden realized his nephew was trembling. It was slight, but Akhenaden noticed it.

"If a man had murdered another, do you not think that is a just punishment?"

"It seems too final," Atem said softly. "I...I don't like having another's life in my hands."

_He is compassionate,_ Akhenaden thought. _Just like his brother. Would that I had the same compassion for life – perhaps things would have changed, had I not destroyed Kul Elna._

Akhenaden put a hand on the boy's shoulder – a great breach of etiquette, he knew, but necessary for the time.

"You must do what your heart feels is right," Akhenaden said. "I cannot make your choices for you."

Atem took a breath. He smiled softly, but he didn't quite look at Akhenaden.

"Thank you," he said.

He stepped into the courtroom. Akhenaden sighed.

"Compassion," he said softly to himself. "I am glad that his heart is in the right place."

And he walked on.

A/N: Yeah, not sure if everyone remembers, but Akhenaden is Atem's dad's brother, therefore he's Atem's uncle. And yeah, Akhenaden was kind of a bad guy in the anime, but remember, he didn't start out that way. I think he was a rather compassionate character, a normal guy who made the wrong choices thinking that it was the only way to protect the most people. Still don't like him too much, though. And this shipping is bordering on the pedophile. Next is Vividshipping (Yugi x Kisara).


	18. Vividshipping

_Vividshipping (Yugi x Kisara)_

_(geez...how do you work with two characters that haven't even seen each other before, much less spoken to each other? I'll do my best... This takes place right after the duel against Kaiba in Death-T. If you don't know what I'm talking about, read the manga.)_

Yugi rushed from the Duel Box, leaving Mokuba to take care of his unconscious brother. It was Yugi that was in control now, not Yami no Yugi. Yugi felt a little bad about just leaving Kaiba and his brother, but he needed to make sure Grandpa was all right.

"Yugi! You did it!" Jonouchi whooped, punching the air.

"Yugi!" Anzu said. "Yugi, look! Honda's all right!"

Honda saluted, grinning.

"Everyone!" Yugi said, feeling tears prick at his eyes. "You're okay – I – I –"

The tears threatened to spill over, but he wiped them away as he skidded to a stop in front of his friends. Jonouchi grabbed him in a headlock and gave him a noogie which Yugi barely escaped from with a hiccuping laugh.

"Have you called the hospital? Is Grandpa all right?" Yugi said.

"Yep," Honda said. "They said he's the healthiest collectible card game player they've ever seen!"

"Grandpa's all right!" Yugi said, barely able to stand for joy. "Thank you...thank you everyone!"

"Psh, we didn't do much," Jonouchi said. "Nice dueling, Yugi. Oh, by the way..."

He dug in his pocket, and then dropped some shards of paper in Yugi's hand. The remains of the holographic Blue Eyes White Dragon shone almost mournfully out at him.

"I picked it up, before," Jonouchi said. "Maybe it's worthless now, but I thought...you'd probably want it back, at least."

Yugi stared at the pathetic ripped card in his hand. All of the stress buildup from before threatened to waterfall out of him. If only...he had gotten here a little sooner. Grandpa and his friends wouldn't have had to go through all of that, and Grandpa's precious card from his friend would never have gotten ruined.

"Thanks, Jonouchi," he said, but it was hard to speak through the tears in his throat.

The card pieces flashed, as though they had caught the light of something. But Yugi hadn't moved – were the lights changing above him or something? Another flash went across the holographic art – this time Yugi had to close his eyes.

When he opened them again, everyone was gone. He still stood at the top floor of Death-T, but his friends had vanished. Kaiba and Mokuba had disappeared from the Battle Box – even all the fans in the bleachers were gone!

"Jonouchi?" Yugi called. "Anzu? Honda? Mokuba? Hey, where is everyone!"

The puzzle warmed at his chest. He felt eyes on him, and slowly, slowly, he turned around.

A girl sat in the Battle Box, watching him with a sad, curious look on her face. Slowly, one step at a time, Yugi walked towards the Battle Box. He hesitated at the door. She raised her hand, and beckoned.

Stepping inside, Yugi saw that Kaiba's cards hadn't moved. The three Blue Eyes White Dragons were still situated on the field in front of her. She was beautiful, like an angel that had stepped out of a painting. Long, white hair that flashed blue in the overhead lights spilled down her back, bangs falling across her pale skin and eyes of warm ice. The only thing that was plain about her was the scratchy looking brown tunic she wore. It looked like it came out of ancient times or something.

"So you're the one," she said softly.

"I'm the what?" Yugi said, feeling foolish as the words came out of his mouth.

The girl sighed.

"I got lost," she said, as if that answered everything. "I couldn't find Seto. I kept calling, and calling...and then he came."

"Seto? You mean Kaiba-san? Do you know Kaiba-san?"

"Yes."

"Does...does Kaiba-san know you?"

"I suppose."

"What does that mean?"

The girl pushed her hair from her face.

"Seto seemed so angry, though," she said. "I was scared. There was so much darkness...so much. I've never liked the dark."

Yugi swallowed.

"I'm sorry but...I don't understand," he said. "What's your name? Where is everyone? Where did you come from? And what...what are you talking about?"

The girl met his eyes.

"My name is Kisara," she said. "I...I guess you could say none of this is real, but it kind of is. I died a long time ago."

Yugi felt the blood rush from his cheeks. Was he really talking to a ghost?

"I knew Seto a long time ago," she said. "And then...I died trying to save him. I promised that I wouldn't leave, and that I would always protect him. So I tied my soul to him."

Yugi didn't understand, but he didn't speak.

"But then my soul got split," she said, waving at the three dragon cards on the table. "I couldn't keep track of them all. But I did meet your grandpa, Yugi. He was a kind man. I liked him."

Yugi blushed a little.

"But I kept calling for Seto, until finally...he came for me," she said softly.

She looked pointedly at the ripped card in Yugi's hand, and suddenly, Yugi thought she knew what she was talking about.

"You're...you're the Blue Eyes White Dragon?"

"I guess so. It used to just be my guardian, but I fused with it, I guess. I don't understand the details either."

She sighed, staring sadly at the other three dragons.

"Seto was so angry. Not like your grandpa. I didn't even recognize him anymore. He only cared about the rarity and the strength of the card, and didn't care about me. So when he tried to attack –"

"That was you!" Yugi said suddenly. "During my first duel with Kaiba! The Blue Eyes White Dragon refused to attack!"

Kisara nodded.

"And it only got worse," she said. "He got the other three parts of my soul, but he still didn't care! He found the last piece, and maybe if he had kept all four pieces, he might have remembered me! Instead he...he..."

She started to shake, and Yugi realized that her left hand wasn't there – it was just a stump. The ripped card, he realized.

Yugi jumped up, and ran around the table to touch Kisara's shoulder.

"It's okay," he said. "It'll be okay!"

Kisara looked up at him, still teary eyed.

"You see, the other me shattered Kaiba's heart," Yugi said. "He's going to try and put it back together now – so he can't make any mistakes this time. Maybe that darkness you saw in him will go away now, and maybe he'll remember why the Blue Eyes White Dragons are important!"

With every word, the card in Yugi's hand flashed. By the time he had finished his sentence, it was completely restored, shining and whole in his hand. Kisara gasped as her left hand swirled into being.

"You see, Kisara-san?" Yugi said. "There's hope! I promise! You just can't give up. That's what my friends always told me!"

Kisara closed her eyes, tears still flowing. When she opened them, she smiled.

"Thank you, Yugi," she said.

She rose, and Yugi blushed at how much taller than him she was. She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead, making him blush even harder.

"You know," she said. "I always thought you were special. Ever since you first picked up my card."

Then the scene dissipated.

Yugi was still standing in front of his friends.

"Hey, earth to Yugi," Jonouchi said. "You okay? You spaced out there for a minute."

Yugi blinked a few times.

"Oh, yeah," he said. "I'm fine."

He looked down at the remains of the card in his hand.

Except it really was whole again.

"I'm fine," Yugi repeated. This time he meant it.

A/N: Augh. Crap. I don't like this one but come on...I just did three of these in one day. I think I deserve a medal or something. Next is Visionshipping (Ishizu x Mai).


	19. Visionshipping

_Visionshipping (Mai x Ishizu)_

_(So...this takes place during Battle City, right before the first pair of duelists are chosen on the blimp.)_

Mai Kujaku clicked down the hall, running over her deck in her mind. She didn't like the set-up of this tournament – she hated not knowing who her opponent was. Especially when she didn't know a lot of them, and had no idea what their strategy might be. She hoped that she would get to go against Jonouchi. Then she would be able to watch the other duelists and get a feel for those strategies beforehand.

A door hung open in the hallway. All the lights were out inside, and it was almost as if the darkness was spilling out into the bright hallway, the way light would spill from an open doorway.

She paused curious in spite of herself. A girl – no, a woman – sat in a chair at the far end of the room. It was hard enough to make her out in the darkness, not to mention the hair covering she wore. Mai was surprised that she had even been able to identify the figure as a female, it was so hard to tell. Must be woman's intuition.

She was a duelist, right? She had to be.

"Hey," she called.

The figure drew in a sharp, surprised breath, and turned her head to look at Mai. Soft chocolate brown eyes looked out from bronzed skin, definitely feminine, even though she had covered half her face with a cloth. Mai wondered if she was Muslim or something.

"You're a duelist, right?" Mai said. "They're going to be choosing the pair ups in a minute or so. You should hurry up."

The woman closed her eyes for a moment.

"That won't be necessary," she said. "My duel will be the last."

"Huh," Mai said, leaning against the door frame. "And you know that right off the bat, huh?"

She didn't answer, turning her gaze back to the window again.

"Did you rig it or something?" Mai asked.

"Not at all. Seto Kaiba's security is much too good for that."

"Then how do you know when you're going to duel, huh sugar?"

The woman turned to face Mai again, and there was a strange, mysterious gleam in those deep eyes.

"Yugi will face Bakura first. Then, Jonouchi will face the one that calls himself Marik. Next, you will face the one that calls himself Namu. And finally, I will face Kaiba. The matches and the outcomes have already been determined by Lady Fate."

Mai groaned softly. She was some New Age weirdo, then. Still, something about the look in her eyes kind of scared Mai.

"Well, if you're right, then maybe I don't have to be on time," Mai said, stepping a little bit farther into the room. "Why are you so off to the side? The official duelist's rooms are two hallways down."

"I prefer to be alone."

"I doubt that," Mai said, noting the tone of the woman's voice. "Nobody prefers that. Not even me."

The woman's eyes widened slightly, but Mai pretended not to notice.

"Who are you?" Mai said. "And how do you know all that stuff?"

The woman closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I can't tell you. Not now."

Mai snorted.

"Whatever," she said. "I don't know why I'm wasting my time."

She turned and stalked from the room. The woman's soft yet carrying voice made her pause.

"Mai Kujaku," she said. "Please...be careful. Your duel will not be easy – do not let your mind play tricks on you."

A shiver ran down Mai's spine, and she shifted irritably. Why was this lady getting to her so easily? She glanced back behind her, catching the woman's dark eyes. She had removed her face mask, for some reason, and now Mai could see the soft lines of her face and the strands of black hair falling from the hair covering.

Mai stiffened, and left the room.

She was halfway down the hall when she realized something.

She had never told that woman her name. And she had known it anyway.

Mai shuddered slightly, and walked on.

A/N: well...it works, at least. Ishizu and Mai aren't a good couple. They're both too withdrawn. Mai's also probably much too forward for Ishizu. Just take a look at the differences between their clothing styles. Ishizu is practically Muslim, and Mai is practically Madonna. I hope I haven't offended any Muslims reading this. I actually like the Islamic religion, so if I offended you, it wasn't on purpose. Next is Virtualshipping (Gozaburo x Noa). Why...WHY?


	20. Virtualshipping

_ Virtualshipping (Gozaburo x Noa)_

_ (why...WHY? Who comes up with these pairings? This is just creepy!)_

It's cold. And dark. And hard to think. Really hard to think. Everything's all jumbled up. Why does it hurt? Lights, tire screeching, pavement - then cold. Darkness. And pain. I shouldn't remember this. I shouldn't be feeling at all. Why am I remembering? Why am I feeling?  
Why didn't you warn me? Why didn't you stop me from chasing my homework across the street? You should have made me look first.  
It's cold. Am I really still alive?  
Please. Just let me go. It hurts. It hurts. Let me go. Let me go.  
Let me go.

I can't. I can't watch this. He's so small. Why didn't I notice that before? Why didn't I see how young he was, how fragile?  
Why didn't see the car? I was watching him laugh. He thought it was funny how the wind made his paper twirl and loop. I should have reached out. I could have made him wait, made him look both ways before he went out into the street. I could have grabbed him and never let go.  
It hurts. My chest hurts.  
I won't let him go. He won't be taken away from me. He's mine.  
But...it will be easier to let the memories go. To erase them forever.  
It will be easier to forget how much I love him.

A/N: Soooo another rather abstract one. But basically, it's just after Noa was hit by the car, and just before Gozaburo uploaded his brain into the computer system. I think maybe Gozaburo might have been a semi-decent person before his son died, but it was just too much to handle, so he forced himself to forget that he ever cared about Noa. I still don't like him though. It's the same kind of relationship I have with Akhenaden. In case you couldn't tell already, the first half is Noa's perspective and the last half is Gozaburo's. Well, next is Villageshipping (Mei x Kyuu x Jonouchi). Yaaaaaaay. (note my sarcasm).


	21. Villageshipping

_Villageshipping (Mei x Kyuu x Jonouchi)_

_(siiiiiiiigh.)_

Even at an early age, people often assumed that Mei and Kyuu could read each other's minds. After all, the twin brothers worked as a seamless team in everything they did. Even as children, working together to make the best block tower in the preschool, they seemed to barely need to look at each other to know what the other was thinking. It was that teamwork that allowed them to accomplish so much as they moved through life.

Of course, they didn't really have telepathic powers. They simply knew the other so well that they didn't have to ask to know what the other wanted. They knew what the other expected. They might as well have been a single being. It made them appear the perfect tag-team Player Killers for Pegasus, and they were recruited almost immediately after the Duelist Kingdom tournament was put into play.

The duelists they faced annoyed the brothers. None of them knew how to work with each other. They bickered and quarreled unnecessarily, ruined each other's strategies (sometimes on purpose), ignored blatant signals (or perhaps, didn't even notice them), tripped each other's traps, and ignored the other, just trying to get ahead themselves. Even when the pair seemed to get along, they were unable to read the other's strategy, and their strategies quickly fell apart.

There was always a weaker link, as well – something else that irked the brothers. They themselves worked hard to be at the same level as the other, so as to be able to work together more seamlessly. Partners should support each other – not expect to be protected.

They didn't expect Yugi and his chosen partner, Jonouchi, to be any different. Jonouchi was the weaker link, always charging blindly ahead, ignoring Yugi's signals, not taking the time to read his partner and work together, always being protected.

But something changed. What exactly was it, in the end?

It was not his ability to read Yugi's motives, or to build off his partner's strategies. It wasn't even his ability to work together.

It was his trust. Total, unflinching, complete trust.

It caught the brothers off guard. They prided themselves on their understanding of each other. That was what made them strong – but then…were they only assuming what the other thought? Did they really trust each other the way Jonouchi trusted Yugi?

Perhaps the brothers weren't really surprised when Yugi and Jonouchi won.

Perhaps a weak link with blind trust was even stronger than understanding.

A/N: and when I have no idea what to write, I go for the abstract. :D I know, I know, I didn't post at all this weekend. All motivation for EVERYTHING left me in a whoosh. I didn't even do my homework until this morning. XD Anyway, I'm hopefully back on schedule now. Next is Vigilshipping (Mai x Ryo). Kind of excited about this one, not gonna lie. :)


	22. Vigilshipping

_Vigilshipping (Mai x Ryo)_

_(an interesting pair...I'm going to enjoy this one. :) This takes place the night before Battle City begins.)_

Mai Kujaku's heels clicked against the pavement. She should be heading back to her hotel to get some sleep, but she could hardly contain her excitement. A new tournament – this was the life. The thrill of anticipation alone was enough to keep her in this business.

Battle City would begin in the next twelve hours. Already she had become accustomed to the light clutch of a Duel Disk around her wrist. Imagine – the intense holographic battles taking place anytime, anywhere – battles would start in mere moments with that kind of freedom. No more hanging around the Battle Box for her, or standing around waiting for her turn in the lineup.

So many people were wearing Duel Disks. Most of them were male. Mai was disappointed to see a noticeable lack of girl duelists. For a moment, she felt a pang of loneliness, and then she turned her insides to stone. It didn't matter. If she was the only one in a world of arrogant men, who cared? She'd show all of them who was boss.

It took her a few moments before she realized that she was lost. She paused in the street, not unduly worried. There were plenty of people around, duelists and non-duelists alike. She could ask anyone for directions. Mai stepped towards a tired but happy looking mother holding a three year old in her arms, planning to ask her where to go. However, before she could, a shadow appeared before her.

"Excuse me," said a smooth, male voice. "You look lost, pretty lady. Can I be of assistance?"

"No," Mai said automatically.

He was significantly taller than her, with smoothed back chestnut hair and softly tanned skin – and a too-friendly smile. Geez. Playboys.

"Now that's not very nice, pretty lady. I'm only trying to be a gentleman."

As he spoke, he inched his hand towards her until his fingers rested on her wrist.

"If you need directions, I'd be glad to assist."

Mai started to snatch her hand away, but he was a little faster than she anticipated. He gripped her wrist a little too tightly.

"Let go," she said. "You're in the middle of a city street – there are witnesses. Don't push me."

He grinned with too-white teeth.

"But I'm not doing anything wrong, am I, pretty lady?"

Mai tried to yank away from them, letting her voice raise enough for people to hear.

"Stop calling me that, you –"

"Hey, let go of her!"

The voice was young and boyish. Mai glanced around her attacker's great frame as he too turned around. Her would-be rescuer was three or four inches shorter than her, with long, effeminate white hair and soft brown eyes in a pale face. He gripped a large bouquet of white roses, and if Mai hadn't heard him speak, she might have thought he was a girl.

"Turn around and walk away," the man said.

"That's hardly the proper way to treat a lady," the boy said firmly. "She obviously doesn't want to be anywhere near you. You should respect women."

"And you should respect me –"

Mai took advantage of the man's distraction and smacked him across the head with her Duel Disk. He took a few steps back, looking dizzy and startled.

"Thanks for distracting him," Mai said. "Now, I'd suggest we both leave before he snaps back to his senses."

The boy clutched the roses a little tighter to his chest and agreed by hurrying to match his pace with hers.

"That was pretty stupid," she said as they moved at a fast pace. "He's twice your height."

"Well...someone was in trouble. I thought I should help."

Mai glanced at him sidelong. Come to think of it, he looked a little familiar. He seemed to be studying her too.

"Oh, Mai Kujaku-san!" he said suddenly. "I thought I recognized you."

"So we have met before," Mai said, not slowing her pace. "Where was it? I'm afraid I can't quite remember the details."

"It was during Duelist Kingdom. I was with Yugi and the others when you came by and helped us out," the boy said cheerily. "I'm Ryo Bakura, in case you forgot."

Mai humphed slightly. The kid helped her out, and he probably was thinking she'd...repay him somehow. Boys were all the same.

"Well, are you actually in this tournament, or tagging along with Yugi again?"

"Oh, I'm no good at dueling. I don't plan on participating. I actually live in this city – it will be rather exciting to see all the duels everywhere, won't it? A little excitement to the normal routine."

Mai humphed again.

"I think we've lost him," she said, glancing over her shoulder. "So...thanks again, but I'll see you around."

"Oh, of course," Ryo said, half bowing.

The wind picked up, and the bouquet flew from his arms. His eyes snapped wide open with something akin to fear, and he made a wild grab for it. With the added height from her heels, Mai was able to snag it from the air with ease, without losing a single petal.

"You should hang on to that a bit better," she said. "Your girlfriend would probably get mad if you didn't get those to her."

Ryo ducked his head and took the bouquet from her.

"They're...they're not for my girlfriend. I don't have one, actually."

Mai shrugged, though she couldn't help but linger on the memory of his eyes when he had lost the bouquet. Almost...scared. Odd.

"Well, whatever," she said. "Just...stay out of trouble on the way home."

"Right," Ryo said. "Good night, Kujaku-san. Have a safe walk."

Mai tried to hide her snort. She hated it when boys acted all polite and cute – it was such a phony way to get a girl's attention. She turned on her heel and walked away. It was then she realized once again that she was still lost.

She hesitated, considering her options. Well, it couldn't hurt to go back and ask Bakura, since he lived here and everything.

Mai turned back around. When she reached the place she had left Ryo, the streets were just about empty. She shivered slightly, and glanced around, looking for some sign of life. There was none.

With a sinking feeling, she tried to determine which way Ryo might have gone. Something caught her eye – a white rose petal against the dark pavement.

She looked down the road – she couldn't see Ryo, but it was possible he had gone that way. Maybe she should just turn back, and ask someone in the more populated part of town. Then another shiver ran down her spine – more intuition than actual fear.

She took the road towards Ryo.

The night seemed almost darker than it had before. Mai stilled the foolish thoughts. No duh it was darker – there were fewer streetlamps and neon signs in the residential part of town. A soft, muffled cry caught her attention, and she stopped midstep.

There, in an alleyway – two figures. The moonlight glimmered across a fallen bouquet of white flowers, looking a bit wilted and sad.

"You thought you were so cool, didn't you," said a voice, and Mai recognized it as the man that had tried to assault her earlier. "'Oh, that's no way to treat lady!' What a little priss!"

The taller figure shoved the smaller figure against the wall – Ryo!

"And what's with this hair, huh, little princess? You trying to be a girl?"

As Mai stepped into the alleyway, the man grabbed a hank of Ryo's hair and yanked. The boy gasped, but no yelp of pain escaped him.

"And I bet these flowers were important, huh? Looks like your girlfriend will be missing those, huh?"

He threw Ryo to the ground, and raised his foot over the flowers. Mai started running now – this was bad now, and it would get worse in just a few moments. Damn, why had that kid been so stupid and gotten involved?

The man's foot surged down toward the flowers – and Ryo hurled himself forward, shielding the bouquet with his body and being rewarded with gasp of pain. Mai almost froze, the move was so surprising.

"Don't," Ryo gasped. "Please –"

"You little priss!"

He might have said more. Except this time Mai whacked him hard enough with the Duel Disk to send him tumbling to the ground, unconscious.

Ryo didn't seem to have realized that Mai was there. His eyes were still squeezed shut as he bent over the flowers, shaking.

"The white ones were her favorites," he whispered. "Don't hurt them."

"Bakura-san, get up," Mai ordered. "You dumbass – what were you thinking?"

Ryo's eyes opened, and he looked up at the scene in surprise.

"All that for a couple of flowers?" Mai snapped. "You should have gotten away while he was distracted by those? And what were you doing walking around so late at night by yourself anyway – you look enough like a girl as it is. I'm not surprised you got yourself assaulted!"

Ryo swallowed, and stood up shakily, clutching the flowers.

"I...no one usually comes this way," he said, as if that explained everything. "Not many people like being near this cemetery...they tend to think it's haunted."

"I don't care about what _usually_ happens –"

She paused as Ryo's words sunk in. Cemetery?

Ryo shifted slightly.

"I'm sorry that I got you all mixed up in this, Kujaku-san," he said. "I'll...I'll just be going now."

He tried to walk away, but Mai reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait, Bakura-san. Listen...whatever, I apologize for blowing up, okay? Now where are you headed? I'll walk with you."

Ryo looked up at her, looking unconvinced. Mai shrugged.

"Safety in numbers works for me too," she said.

He met her eyes for a few more moments, and then nodded.

It was only another block to the cemetery. Mai could see why people avoided it: even at night, or perhaps, especially at night, the pointed fence and intricate gate looked like the entrance to the underworld. The gate looked rusted, and even though it was supposed to be locked, it creaked open softly at Bakura's touch. Different shaped gravestones loomed in the mist, and Mai shivered slightly. Bakura didn't seem to mind, in fact, he seemed to relax a bit.

They wandered up aisles of tombstones, and Mai was starting to learn that she actually was superstitious when they stopped. A pale, stone-carved angel stood before them, about half Ryo's height, with wings folded in and arms outstretched. The only different from any normal gravestone angel was that this one appeared to be smiling ever so slightly, a warm, serene smile like a mother reaching out for her child.

Ryo knelt and placed the white roses against the grave, arranging them so that the ruined ones were not easily visible. Mai took the opportunity to read the names on the angel's tunic.

_Rest in Peace_

_Emi Bakura_

_1966-2002_

_Amane Bakura_

_1992-2002_

_May angels carry you into eternal light._

Mai felt her heart pang. That Amane...she had only been ten years old.

She looked down at Ryo, who hadn't risen yet.

"Three years ago today," he said suddenly, without looking at her. "My mother and sister died in a car accident. My father grew distant – he's still abroad. After the...accident...I moved from school to school, and bad things kept happening. I finally ended up here, in her birth town, where she was buried. Convenient, isn't it?"

Mai started to reach toward him, and then thought better of it.

"Kujaku-san...thank you for coming here with me," Ryo said. "But I'll be all right now. It's not far from here to my house. I'll just be here for a while."

Mai watched him, and suddenly realized that none of what had happened between them had been fake. He hadn't been phony – his politeness had been real. And the flowers...no wonder he tried to protect them.

She lowered herself to the ground, sitting next to Ryo.

"I won't sleep tonight anyways," she said. "I might as well spend some time keeping vigil for your sister."

He didn't look at her.

But she was sure that he smiled.

A/N: Kind of crappy, not gonna lie. Cute, though. Sort of. And I stole inspiration from the shipping name again! :D Next will be Vexshipping (Anzu x Yami no Bakura). This one'll be for you, PandaTeddyClaws. ;)


	23. Vexshipping

_Vexshipping (Yami no Bakura x Anzu)_

_(this pairing has potential, I mean, if Bakura wasn't a psycho and all. :) I don't support it myself, but I'll do my best to give it justice.)_

Bakura collapsed to the ground in what appeared to be a seizure, his arms jerking in random directions and his eyes fluttering open and closed in wide-eyed terror. Just as soon as the convulsions had begun, they ended, and Bakura slowly stood up.

His movements seemed much too smooth and fluid for one that had just recovered from a minor seizure – that was because it hadn't been a seizure. It had been a hard-won fight for control.

And Yami no Bakura had won.

The dark spirit exhaled, savoring the victory and the feeling of having a physical body. Then he frowned. Ryo had been much too strong this time. It had never been so difficult to regain control. Could he really have gotten so much stronger in the short time Bakura had been in the grips of the Penalty Game?

A soft knock at the apartment startled him, and he cursed his skittishness. At this rate, Ryo would manage to wrest control back. He had to maintain control of himself, as well as his host.

He briefly considered ignoring the knock. It was probably just another salesman, and he wasn't interested in restarting his soul collection. But a voice made him reconsider.

"Bakura-kun?"

Anzu Mazaki's voice floated through the door.

"Bakura-kun...are you home?"

Yami no Bakura shuffled through his host's memories, fighting off Ryo's weak attack in an attempt to hide his memories. His host wasn't expecting Anzu – or anyone, for that matter. What would bring Anzu here?

Yami no Bakura padded to the door, careful to mold his expression into Ryo's soft characteristics. He cracked open the door. Sure enough, Anzu Mazaki stood on his doorstop, wringing her hands with a nervous look in her eyes.

"Anzu?" Yami no Bakura said, changing his voice ever so slightly to match Ryo's. "What's wrong? What are you doing here?"

Anzu jumped a little, looking more skittish than a rabbit that scented fox.

"Oh, Bakura-san – I thought you weren't home – is Yugi here?"

Yami no Bakura blinked, surprised in spite of himself. Maybe his host and Yugi were friends, but not extremely close ones. Why would Anzu look here?

"No, he isn't. Is he missing?"

"Yes," Anzu said. "He isn't answering his cell phone. He said that he was going to your house today to play Monster World."

Yami no Bakura glanced through host's memories again, ignoring Ryo's attempts to push him out. Not a thing about that. Had the pharaoh..._lied _to one of his friends? He briefly thought about why, and then he realized that this could be used to his advantage.

"This is the first I've heard of it," he said. "Why don't you come in, Anzu? You can tell me what happened."

Anzu's face fell, and she barely nodded. Bakura opened the door for her, letting her into the hall. She slid her shoes off and stepped just out of the way so that Bakura could close the door. She was so preoccupied that she didn't notice him lock it.

"Come on, Mazaki-san," Bakura said, leading her down the hall and down to the living room, where he pushed her to sit down on the couch. "We'll figure this out. Don't worry."

He purposely did not turn on any lights, letting the dim light coming through the shades act as the only illumination. Anzu may be distracted, but it would not do for her to notice that his eyes were a deep purple, instead of the bright green that so characterized Ryo. She would know her mistake...only when Bakura wanted her to.

Bakura took a seat on the couch across from Anzu.

"So...tell me what happened."

Anzu swallowed.

"Well...after Battle City, Yugi...the pharaoh, mostly...has been acting a bit strange. He seems so distant all the time, and Yugi barely talks to me either. I'm worried...well, the pharaoh is supposed to go find his memories soon, and what if...I'm afraid they'll go to Egypt without me. Without even telling me. What if...what if I lose both of them?..."

Her voice trailed off, and Bakura caught the hint of tears in her eyes. He could barely suppress a grin.

Anzu Mazaki had always been quite an interesting specimen. Despite all the danger that Yugi got her into, she never abandoned him. She never stayed behind where it was safe. She had no powers, no magic, no ties to ancient Egypt, and she didn't even duel. She kept tagging along, torn between her feelings for two different Yugis – it was almost sad, really.

But she was strong, despite her tears. How else would she have recovered from being turned into a figurine and almost killed by him, or having Marik almost force her to swallow poison to lure the pharaoh in as bait. She was, on the whole, a fascinating woman.

_I wonder,_ Bakura thought. _How would the pharaoh react if Anzu was on my side?_

"Maybe he's..." Bakura started, considering his words. Rhetoric had always been one his strong points. "Maybe he's started to drift, a little. After all, he is thousands of years older than us. Only Yugi really understands, being connected to him in that way. It's to be expected that he would move away from us."

"But he's – the pharaoh, and Yugi – they're my friends!" Anzu burst out. "He should know that! If he's feeling bad, he should know that he can rely on all of us. I want to be there for him!"

Bakura hid his grin – she was completely unguarded and open, thinking that she was talking to Ryo.

"Well…they have a good friend in you, then," he said. "I'm a little jealous."

Anzu stood up quickly, her hand on her heart.

"Oh, Bakura-kun – I feel the same way about you too! I care about all of my friends, and you and I are friends!"

Bakura ducked his head – a twofold maneuver. First, it would hide his wrong-colored eyes from Anzu's gaze. Second, it would make him appear embarrassed, or perhaps even sad. And that was what drew Anzu closer, until she was sitting down next to him on the couch.

"I…I'm sorry, Bakura. I've just been worrying about myself. You seem tired…are you okay?"

Bakura had been considering how he could possibly use Anzu's arrival to his advantage, and now he thought he had the answer. It had been a while since he had tried word magic, but it would be interesting to see the effect on Anzu. All he had to do was get her to say something that he could twist into a truth…

"My dark half came back," Bakura said, trying to keep the smile from his voice. "I've been fighting to keep control – I can barely sleep."

Anzu drew in a soft, surprised breath.

"Oh, Bakura-kun! You should have told someone – we're here for you, all of us! You don't have to be alone. In fact, you have my phone number – why didn't you call?"

"I didn't want to get you all involved again," Bakura said.

"Bakura, that's what friends are for – I _want _to help you Bakura. You only have to ask."

Bakura, with his face still turned away from her, grinned widely. 'I wantto help you, Bakura' —now, that was a sentence he could use.

He set the spell in motion – pity it took so long to work.

"Are you certain, Anzu…?" he said, his voice dropping back into his own tones.

He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and he caught the barest flicker of shock in her eyes. She moved quickly – but not quickly enough. Bakura's hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. Her free hand whipped around in an attempt to strike at his head, but he caught it easily.

He was impressed – no screaming, no futile struggling, but an actual attempt to fight back. She certainly was an interesting girl. She tried to kick him, but she was still seated on the couch and it was difficult for her to even reach him.

She stopped struggling, her chest rising and falling much too quickly. Her brown eyes bore into his, anger and determination just barely concealing her fear.

_She's even stronger than I thought,_ Bakura thought, feeling a small thrill of excitement. Not just the tagalong cheerleader she appeared to be, then.

"How long were you in control?" Anzu said.

"Since you arrived."

Anzu swallowed.

"So now what?" she whispered. "Will you seal me into a figurine again? Or will you just kill me?"

Bakura felt the spell weaving itself slowly around Anzu's mind. He'd have to distract her for just a little longer.

"Dear Anzu, I did mean everything I said before. Just as you did: you said you wanted to help me."

"I was talking to the other Bakura."

"Unfortunately, he wasn't listening."

As he talked, Anzu stomped on his foot. Surprised by the maneuver, he loosened his grip on her just enough for her to wriggle free. She was halfway to the door before Bakura caught her by the wrists again. She was _fascinating. _Even though she was trapped in the apartment with him, she didn't let the fear claim her.

"You've already promised to help me," Bakura said. "Unfortunately, word is law around here."

"I won't help you hurt Yugi, or the pharaoh, or anyone!"

"Words are power, An-zu-chan," he said, mockingly. "And you said those words out loud."

The spell started to tighten, and Anzu's eyes widened as she felt the magic taking hold. It was a pity: her mind was too determined and protected for the spell to last longer than a week or so. But then, that was why he found her so interesting.

"You –" Anzu started.

Bakura cut her off by pressing his lips against hers. In her one, final moment of clarity, she recoiled at his touch. Then she sank under the spell as Bakura drew away from her.

"I can see why the pharaoh likes you so much," he said softly. "I wonder how he'd react if he knew what I did."

And, just for good measure, he kissed her again.

A/N: Dark…and evil…and vaguely creepy. But then, that's Bakura in a nutshell. Hey, I think that kiss was the first actually romantic gesture in the entire project thus far! Also, this story has almost made me a Vexshipper. Almost. I hope I did okay…and I hope it was worth waiting for, PandaTeddyClaws. ;) Next will be Vengeanceshipping (Marik x Bandit Keith).


	24. Vengeanceshipping

_Vengenaceshipping (Marik x Bandit Keith)_

_(…why?)_

For a former Duel Monsters champion, "Bandit" Keith Howard had been surprisingly easy to brainwash. Marik assumed it was because of the alcohol: after all, he had stumbled across the former American champion collapsed in an alleyway behind a bar, completely and utterly wasted.

The smell had been hard to deal with.

Now, looking through Keith's blurred, drunken eyes and directing his fuzzy mind, Marik was seriously regretting his choice for his first attempt on the pharaoh's life.

_He's a brute,_ Marik thought. _All he can think about the is alcohol, and revenge on a man who's dead._

_Sounds like you. Minus the alcohol._

Marik shuddered slightly. Lately, his own thoughts seemed more separate from him, as though someone else was talking to him in his mind.

_His thoughts of revenge are futile, _Marik argued with himself irritably. _Pegasus is dead and gone for good. The pharaoh is back in this world._

_But it _is _all you think about. You're more like him than you care to admit._

Marik brushed the thoughts aside irritably. Arguing with himself…either the stress or the jetlag was getting to him, or he was actually going insane.

Still, the longer he occupied Keith's mind, the more he couldn't reconcile his distaste for Keith and his own vengeful thoughts.

_Perhaps we are alike, aren't we, _he thought reluctantly. _Maybe that's the real reason I could control you so easily. Our minds are virtually the same._

Keith couldn't answer.

And Marik wasn't sure he wanted to hear what the man would say if he could.

A/N: super super short, because there's not much more you can do with this. If someone else wrote something longer than this, I want to know. This pairing is just…gross. And I had to work with anime canon instead of the manga canon, which I don't like doing, because Keith is dead before Duelist Kingdom ends in the manga. Anyways…next is…Velcroshipping (Thief King Bakura x Haga). Really…who comes up with these? Someone please tell me why this one is even a thing.


	25. Velcroshipping

_Velcroshipping (Thief King Bakura x Insector Haga)_

Insector Haga was in a foul mood. This was mostly due to the fact that he had already been knocked out of the Battle City tournament, especially when he had taken such precautions to win, and it had been against Katsuya Jonouchi, of all people, making it the worst moment of his life. Then again, listening to Dinosaur Ryuzaki pester him was coming in for a close second. Stupid, obnoxious, strength-loving, bug-hating brute.

"Haga, hey. Where're you going? Are you even listening to me?"

"No, I'm not listening to you," Haga snapped. "Go away."

"Hey, you're not the only one who's ticked off. I lost to a faker. How d'you think I feel?" Ryuzaki said.

"I don't care how you feel, that's the point!" Haga said, pushing his glasses up with unnecessary force.

He turned with a snap and started to stalk off. He heard Ryuzaki's shuffling footsteps behind him, and groaned under this breath. Hoping to make him go away, he ducked into a dark, littered alleyway. Maybe he'd be too freaked out to follow.

But no, the footsteps came along anyway – that is, until the dinosaur duelist yelped with surprise and stopped short. Haga glanced back, and was pleased to see that a daddy long legs had fallen on Ryuzaki's head.

"Augh! Geez – what the hell?" he said, trying to smack it.

It fell off and skittered away, and Ryuzaki tried to stomp it.

"Oh, stop that you fool!" Haga snapped, stooping to let the bug crawl onto his hand. "It didn't do anything to you."

"I don't like spiders," Ryuzaki muttered.

"Then you'll be happy to know that a daddy long legs is _not _a spider. It's an _Opiliones, _or a harvestman."

"Nerd."

"If you don't like it, go away. Or I'll let my little friend crawl over you some more."

Haga was actually surprised at how fast that got Ryuzaki out of there. Huh. Maybe he was more afraid of spiders than Haga had thought.

Haga stared at the little harvestman in his hand. It was so fascinating. How could it even stand on those spindly little legs. Its second pair of legs quivered, sensing him out and forming a picture in its mind, even though it couldn't see.

"Go on, then," he said, putting his hand down so it could crawl away. "Go back to finding food. Don't get stepped on."

A soft laugh behind him caught his attention as the false spider skittered away. For a moment, Haga thought that Ryuzaki had returned, but the tone was too deep – older than Ryuzaki.

"So you like insects, little boy?" the voice said. "You're too kind to such an inferior species."

Haga twinged with anger, and he stood up with a snap.

"For your information, daddy longlegs are _not _insects," he said. "And insects are _not _inferior: they've been around for thousands of years longer than us and they still outnumber us. They can live in this world even better than we can."

He turned as he talked, getting a look at the boy who was talking to him. The figure was tall, significantly taller than him, with strangely tanned skin and white hair. A scar marred one cheek, twisting his smirk into an eerie grin, and his eyes were dark and cold.

"Bugs are not inferior? You have a strange way of thinking, little boy."

"I am not little!"

"Size is relative," the boy said smoothly. "And you're smaller than me."

Haga bit the inside of his cheek as he realized the strange figure was right, and he was also in between Haga and the way out of the alleyway. This could turn back very quickly.

"Well – size doesn't mean anything!" Haga said. "After all, look how small ants are, and they can lift twenty times their own weight. You don't have any idea how strong I am."

The strange boy laughed: a soft, amused laugh.

"You have a good point, little boy," he said. "In that case, you should think of my referring to your size as a compliment."

"Well, you don't mean it as one," Haga grumbled.

The boy took another step into the alleyway.

"You seem to love insects more than humans," he mused. "Why is that, I wonder?"

"Because humans are stupid," Haga said. "They step on things without thinking about it – they don't care about the people or creatures they hurt."

"Ah, you've been crushed, haven't you, little boy? Crushed like an insect under a boot. And you want to rise against that."

"I have not been crushed!" Haga said, his voice rising higher than normal. "You can try to kill a cockroach, but it'll keep coming back – you can't beat my determination, and you can't make me stay a down –"

The boy was close – too close.

"You are very interesting," he said, and Haga could feel the boy's breath on his head. "Very interesting, little insect."

"It's Insector," Haga said.

"I know. But then again, this little scene never really happened."

Then he stepped past Haga, and before Haga could turn around, he was completely gone.

A/N: Sooo, I had no ideas for this one, and I tried reading some other ones for inspiration...and then I completely regretted it because Backlash Waltz was such perfection that I could never hope to match it and it almost made me a Velcroshipper. D: Still, though, Insector Haga is one of the few characters in Yu-Gi-Oh that I can claim to hate, so it's hard for me to reconcile this pairing. Still, I surprised how well it seems to work. And how interesting Haga can turn out to be as a character. Next is Veershipping (Keith x Ishizu). We're getting closer to Vaseshipping (the first one so far that I started out supporting. Vexshipping doesn't count, because I didn't support that one until after I wrote a story about it.)


	26. Veershipping

Veershipping (Bandit Keith x Ishizu)

(gah...another character that I hate...not Ishizu, obviously, I meant Keith. And he's drunk. Again. Anyway, this takes place about three months before Duelist Kingdom, in Chicago. And a warning: Keith has no filter. I am not responsible for his language.)

Late summer nights are surprisingly cold in the American Midwest. Despite the sweltering, almost desert-level heat of the day, once the sun goes down it's as though fall is creeping in summer's wake.

Ishizu Ishtar is not used to the cold. She hugs her shawl tighter around her thin shoulders, head bent against the wind. At least she had had the foresight to bring the shawl with her to the meeting with museum curator, despite the weather forecasts.

People hurry past her with heads bent downwards, some simply staring at their feet, others staring at the glowing screens of cellphones, and still others simply trying to avoid making eye contact with the other passengers of the sidewalk. Ishizu feels the familiar pang of loneliness. It is certainly possible to be alone in a crowd.

The meeting with the Natural History Museum had gone quite well. Her ancient Egyptian exhibit will be transferred here next. She fingers the cold metal jewelry around her neck, a golden eye in the likeness of Horus. It has told her what will come. Only a few months now, until she will finally meet the reincarnation of the pharaoh, and her daily nightmare will – hopefully – finally end.

Movement catches her eye in an alleyway. Though she knows it might not be safe, she pauses in spite of herself. A figure sprawls against the wall, the remains of a broken bottle neck hanging from limp fingers. At first, Ishizu thinks that he is dead. Then he shifts, and groans.

"Cut me off, will ya," he mutters. "Who needsh your beer anyway."

The stench of alcohol is almost too much. But Ishizu lingers anyway. Her fingers have not moved from her necklace, and it warms in anticipation. She is supposed to stay. One hesitant step follows another, and she arrives at the man's side, still cautious of the shifting shadows at the end of the alley.

"Sir," she says softly, in careful English. "Are you all right? Do you need assistance?"

"Don't need no asshitanshe from a whore," he says.

Ishizu stiffens at this.

"Well, then, please excuse my offers of goodwill," she says. "Unless, of course, the alcohol is talking, and not yourself."

"Beer and I get along just fine," the man says, attempting to take a drink from the broken bottle neck in his hand, and swearing softly when he realizes that nothing is actually there.

"I cannot assume that this is healthy. Or safe," Ishizu says. "You're sprawled in an alley, for heaven's sake. Perhaps you do not care for your own safety?"

"Who cares, who cares, who cares about nothing," he said, attempting to create a little song that sounds nothing like music to a sober pair of ears.

Ishizu's necklace warms softly, and the vision trails across her mind.

"Keith Howard," she says, the name drawn from the vision.

"You're headed to your own death. I hope you know that."

"I'll get 'im," Keith says. "I get back at him, one way or t'other. Won't die before then."

Ishizu sighs, and draws back, back towards the cold, Chicago street.

"You're right," she says, wondering if he's even listening. "You won't die...unless you believe in the illusion. That is the nature of the Penalty Game that will take your life."

As she walks away, she hears him attempt to sing another song, and she can't even understand the lyrics, much less pick out a tune. It's sad...so sad to see people waste away without even caring. It's a fate that Ishizu would never wish upon even her worst enemy.

She shivers, and walks on.

A/N: Hate this pairing. Okay, so since Velcroshipping, I've started to grudgingly respect Haga, but I really don't think I can ever, ever like Keith. He's obnoxious, depressing, has no filter and no respect, cares about nothing about being the absolute best, and if he can't be that, he doesn't care about living...I could go on. He just annoys me. Ishizu is too nice, stopping to try and warn him about his future. Keith is too stupid (I'd use another word, but unlike Keith, I have a filter) and Ishizu is too nice. They would never, ever work as a couple. Okay, now that I've got that rant over with, the next shipping will be Vaseshipping (Atem x Mana). YEEEES! :D


	27. Vaseshipping

Vaseshipping (Atem x Mana)

(I'm fangirlling so hard right now. :D I'm a sucker for the childhood friend plot. This takes place when they're both around the age of eleven. This is before Aknamkanon (or however you spell his name) died and before Atem was actually pharaoh.)

Her smile is much like a sun. It is warm, and open, and always shining, as it does in the desert. There is a difference, though. Sometimes even the sun seems distant, so far away, and by that token, aloof and unfeeling too. Not so with her smile: there is always the warmth of joy in that grin.

He chides himself for the thoughts. This is hardly the time nor the place. He must pay attention to his diplomacy tutor. If he is to become pharaoh someday, he must listen and learn.

But he cannot stop himself from counting down the hours, the minutes, the seconds until the lesson ends and he can drop the mask he must wear. He cannot wait until the moment comes when he can force dignity into his walk down the stairs, and then let it fall away as soon as he reaches the privacy of the garden, where he can then run as fast as he wants past the foreign trees and flowers to the lean-to at its center, where she will be waiting.

She will be sitting on the railing, swinging her legs and tapping her fingers across the wood, because she cannot for the life of her sit still. That humming sort of smile will be on her face as she pretends not to see him approach. Then the hum will break into a laugh, and her hugging smile will break across her face as she jumps on him, nearly knocking him over.

Then he can drop his mask of quiet dignity. He can let his disguise, the cape of an exalted son of gods fall away. He can step out of the regal rays of Ra and into the gentle rays of her smile. There is no deference in her smile, no subtle dropping of the eyes, and no respect or etiquette in her eternal laugh – and for that he is most glad.

He would not give up his post for the chance to be ordinary: he does not have those fantasies. He understands and appreciates his duty to his people. But he will count the seconds anyway. He will long for her smile.

And he will tear across the garden, no matter how improper it must appear, in order to reach her side.

A/N: *on the ground, twitching as she recovers from a fan seizure* I LOVE THIS PAIRING. This is the first pairing that I've written about thus far that I had on my list of supported shippings when I started the project. (Vexshipping has now been added to the list, but it wasn't there when I started.) You can say whatever you like, and yeah, perhaps they are just friends, but I will go all sappy on the childhood friends gig every single time it happens. I'll let you dream if you let me dream. *changes to a deep, dramatic announcer's voice* And next, on the Yu-Gi-Oh! Shipping Challenge: A romance across time (even though technically, this could be called Revolutionshipping) Atem x Anzu, also called VANISHSHIPPING! *drops announcer's voice* Still, though. Isn't this just Revolutionshipping? As far as I'm concerned, Yami no Yugi and Atem are the same character, just differing in some memories.


	28. Vanishshipping

Vanishshipping (Atem x Anzu)

If he could count all the tears that had fallen today, they would fill the Nile twice over. And yet, he could not cry. He must not. He must appear strong in the face of grief. He had to assure his people that he could lead them, despite his mere fifteen years.

Atem, son of Aknamkanon, must have appeared so strong in the hot Egyptian sun: broad-shouldered, not particularly tall, but his bearing made him appear much taller; sharp red eyes that appeared emotionless, even in the face of his father's death.

It was a poor mask over the wreckage inside.

Isis gripped his shoulder. He could tell that she understood the strain he undertook, trying to hide his tears. Mahad stood stock still on his other side, staring blankly forward. Mahad had the most reason to cry. He had known Aknamkanon since he was a little boy, since before even Atem had been born. He owed the deceased pharaoh his life. Atem knew Mahad had thought of Aknamkanon as a father, and Atem had always considered Mahad as a brother. Yet he, too, hid his tears, even as the pallbearers bore the heavy golden sarcophagus into the deep, gaping hole in the ground.

Atem's shoulders shook. He clenched his fists, refusing to cry. But it grew ever harder to contain it when even Akhenaden allowed a tear to escape from his remaining good eye, and Seto had turned away to try and pretend that he was not crying.

Atem couldn't take it any longer. That was his father, sealed in cold metal, about to be encased in the cold, unfeeling earth.

Muttering some sort of excuse (he didn't know what) he turned away from the vanishing coffin, and managed a few strides away. He could not leave, no matter how he wished to. It was against all protocol for the new pharaoh to leave the funeral of his father.

But he didn't want to watch his father vanish.

Fear clutched at his chest. Could he ever be as strong, as compassionate, as self-sacrificing as his father? Could he, a boy of only fifteen years old, really lead all of Egypt wisely and correctly? Would he be able to protect it? Would he be strong enough?

A motion caught his eye. It was a mere rippling of the air, like heat rising from the desert ground as it always did. But no, it was more solid. Real. Becoming a physical shape and form.

And then suddenly a girl stood in front of him, pale-skinned with cropped chestnut hair and wide, warm brown eyes.

"It's okay!" she called, and her echoing words seemed to fly across time. "You are strong - don't forget that! You will be the greatest king of Egypt. Trust me!"

"Who are you?" Atem said. "Where did you come from?"

"I'm your friend," she said. "Look for me - in the future!"

Atem took a step forward, and then another. He reached out towards her - was she only a mirage?

But she was gone as soon as she had appeared.

Atem let his hand drop to his side.

He couldn't explain why, but his heart grew a little warmer. He clenched his fists.

"All right," he whispered. "I will believe."

And like smoke, his fear and doubt vanished.

A/N: Playing off the of the shipping name again. :D Cute pairing, although it's basically just Revolutionshipping. I totally ripped off this idea from Howl's Moving Castle, when Sophie went back in time and saw Howl meeting Calcifer, and then calling out to them to look for her in the future. No, I have no idea how Anzu got there. She just did. I'm just the girl that writes it down, the characters do what they want. *dramatic voice* And coming up next is...*dramatic voice trails off*…Unlockshipping...which is...Shadi...and Yami no Yugi...crap. *starts trembling because of her strange and unique phobia of Shadi*


	29. Unlockshipping

Unlockshipping (Shadi x Yami no Yugi)

(please, please, please, someone tell me that Shadi frightens them. I'm not the only weird one, am I?)

Never had he encountered a soul so twisting and turning, so much like a labyrinth. It should be impossible for one to be so defended. Each door a trap. Each trap a door. Stairs on the ceiling, doors upside down, floors that collapsed, illusions and hidden doors, corridors that led nowhere - was this room an intricate defense system? If so, what was it protecting? What secrets did this strange boy guard?

Shadi could not help but feel a little excited. It had been too long since he had faced a worthy opponent. He would find the secrets that this boy with no name held.

The true room…what possible secret could this tomb-like labyrinth hold? What was the boy hiding?

Shadi paused, suddenly wondering.

Did the boy himself even know?

The soul room was a reflection of one's inner self. Shadi had seen many of these souls in his life time. He had seen rooms drowning in slime and discarded treasures, in the mind of woman who refused to let go of the past. He had fought his way through a room filled with ravenous creatures, symbols of the rage and hatred that tore at its owner's mind.

A labyrinth…what did a labyrinth mean? Perhaps a complex mind, filled with lies and secrets that entangled all that entered?

No. That did not seem right.

Slowly, Shadi turned, and a door emblazoned with the Millennium Eye stood before him. He hesitated before laying his hand on the door.

Perhaps this mind was of one who was lost.

If that was so, why was the boy lost?

Shadi opened the door, and there, at the center of the dark room, was the boy, sitting easily in a stone throne. A calm, smug smile rested on his face. Shadi felt his lip curl with distaste. This insolent, overconfident boy could not be lost. The labyrinth was merely a defense for the lies and secrets he kept.

But even he was not convinced by his own words.

A/N: *trying to recover from a seizure brought on by the arrival of Shadi* I. HATE. SHADI. Whenever I think of him, all I can think of is that smug, unconcerned little smile he had on his face in the mange, mere panels after the Millennium Ring had stabbed a guy in the chest and then burned him from the inside out so that he puked fire until he became a heap of charcoal. O-o Yeah. The manga was brutal. But hey, we're out of the V's, finally. Can anyone believe that I got this far in this project? I certainly can't. Next up is…Twistedshipping…Pegasus and…Shadi…again…I think I'm going to die.


	30. Twistedshipping

_Twistedshipping (Pegasus x Shadi)_

In the heat of Egypt, it is often difficult to determine what is real, and what is merely a mirage. Pegasus J. Crawford had known of the phenomenon of heat creating illusions since he was in middle school. What he had never expected was that the loss of a loved one could also contribute to hallucinations, especially when combined with heat and dehydration. Why, he must have startled himself almost twenty times now, thinking that he saw Cyndia in the streets and alleys of this small town called Kul Elna.

It was because of this that Pegasus was never really sure if that strange Egyptian boy was real or not. He looked solid enough: tan skin draped in long, shapeless white robes, golden earrings glinting at his ears, passive orange eyes staring out from under the folds of a twisted turban, and golden ankh on a necklace.

As the years dragged on, and his Millennium Eye started to grow sore with ghost pains of the eye he had lost to obtain it, he could still hear those echoed words across time.

_"This is not the place to recover from the loss of a loved one. Leave before it is too late."_

_"None can leave this place, without being tried by the Millennium Items."_

_"You will be able to see across space. Perhaps even the one you have lost."_

That soft, unaffected smile on his face as he watched the man in front of him burn up from the inside out – that, along with the words, still haunted his dreams.

Just a few more days. A few more days, and he would have Cyndia, almost for real again. Maybe that would take away the nightmares. Maybe that would end the flashes of those orange eyes across his remaining eyelid every time he tried to rest. Real or not, the boy haunted him like a ghost.

He had been asking for trouble, when he had followed the mirage-like boy into the temple. But then, as he did now, he just had to know.

Dream or not? Mirage or not? Ghost or not?

Had he ever been real?

A/N: Shadi only showed up in memories, so I'm thankfully not having a nervous breakdown. :) Next is Turbulenceshipping (Kaiba x Yami no Yugi x Ryo). I hate the threesomes. They're hard to write.


	31. Turbulenceshipping

_Turbulenceshipping (Kaiba x Yami no Yugi x Ryo)_

_(sigh...I hate the triangles...)_

Kaiba stalked down the street, not in the mood for the cheery, sunny day. Actually, he was never in the mood for cheery, sunny days. The street was already packed with people waiting around KaibaCorp. Luckily, most of them recognized his characteristic height and coat, and the way parted around him without a word.

He would never admit it, but he was impressed with the turnout. Mokuba's idea hadn't been half bad: a Duel Disk design contest. He had been shocked at the entries that had poured in, and overall stock ratings had skyrocketed as thousands preordered the yet unveiled new Duel Disk design. Mokuba had looked so happy, looking through all the sketches that people had entered. Seto had told his little brother that he didn't have to look at all of them himself, seeing as there were four other judges, but Mokuba had insisted at looking at every single one of them.

_Someone worked hard on these, _he had said. _I just want at least look at all of them._

Seto indulged in the memory for a moment, and then filed it away to be looked at in a different time. He knew the real reason Mokuba was so insistent on looking all of the drawings: they reminded Mokuba of the Blue Eyes White Dragon Card he had drawn for Seto.

"Yo, Kaiba-kun."

The voice caught him off guard, and he paused. Yugi appeared in a gap in the crowd, hands in his pockets. He flashed a small grin.

"Quite the crowd you've stirred up, Kaiba-kun," he said, red eyes light and cheerful.

Noting the different eye color, as well as the regal bearing and sharper features, Kaiba assumed that he was talking to the "back" Yugi. The game king version.

"That's the whole point, Yugi," he said, crossing his arms. "Sales weren't so good after I lost in Battle City, you know."

Yugi shrugged, not looking very sorry.

"I did what had to be done. You fixed things up all right."

Kaiba hurumphed under his breath.

"So what are you doing here, anyway?" he said.

"I wouldn't miss out on the new Duel Disk design," Yugi said. "Besides, I live in town, so it's just a short walk away. And the other me entered the contest. He's pretty excited."

Kaiba snorted. Other me. Yugi really was crazy. But he recalled Yugi's design: it had been one of Mokuba's favorites. Reminiscent of a Millennium Item, even Kaiba had been rather impressed with the attention to detail Yugi had put into the the design.

"So, what about it, Kaiba," Yugi said, his voice as light and cheerful as the blue sky above. "Let us in: who won the contest?"

"I wouldn't tell you if I knew, Yugi," Seto said. "Anyway, this was Mokuba's big project. He didn't tell me the winning design either."

"Too bad," Yugi said, and Seto wondered how on earth he could be so cheerful all the time.

Yugi glanced over his shoulder, and looked a bit perplexed.

"That's odd," he said. "I could have sworn Bakura was right –"

A white haired boy pushed through the crowd before Yugi could finish his sentence, clutching a paper bag to his chest.

"Yugi-kun, you left me behind," he panted. "I almost got lost in the crowd."

It took a minute, but Seto recognized him. It was the boy that had played against Yugi in the first finals match of Battle City, Ryo Bakura. He looked a little different, though. His features were much softer, and kinder. Did this boy have a "back" side too? Seto wouldn't be surprised: after all, he also wore a large pendant around his neck that looked similar to the Millennium Puzzle. Maybe being crazy was a requirement for having a Millennium Item.

"Sorry, Bakura-kun. I thought you were right behind me," Yugi said.

Ryo shook his head.

"It's fine. I was just worried I was going to lose this, after waiting so long," Ryo said, shaking the paper bag. "If I had realized that the Duel Disk competition was ending today, I would have come tomorrow to get this new Monster World set."

"But didn't you enter the contest too, Bakura-kun?" Yugi said, grinning. "What if you win? You'll want to be here."

"Oh, my design wasn't that good," Ryo said, smiling a little. "Yours was better."

Seto thought back, trying to see if he remembered a Ryo Bakura entry. Mokuba hadn't shown him all of the entries, only some of his favorites. And a few that weren't his favorites, just to see if he could throw Seto off of the real winner. Really. That kid.

"I didn't get to see yours, Bakura-kun," Yugi said. "What did you base it off of?"

Bakura looked about to answer, but suddenly, Mokuba's voice came over the loudspeakers, and all conversation ceased.

"Okay, everyone!" Mokuba called, sounding even more cheerful that Yugi did. Even from a distance, Seto could see that his eyes were bright, and it was hard to suppress his own smile. It was nice to see Mokuba so fired up about something that he started himself.

"It's time to announce the big winner of the Duel Disk design contest!" Mokuba shouted in the microphone. "That's what you're all here for, right?"

The crowd screamed, and Mokuba made a show of putting a hand to his ear.

"I can't hear you! You want to see the winning design, right!"

The crowd screamed louder, and this time Seto didn't stop his grin. Mokuba was certainly good at working the crowd.

"Your brother's really good at this," Ryo said. "And he seems so young, too. How old is he?"

"Eleven, right?" said Yugi.

Seto nodded, but didn't answer. He was just as curious as the rest of them to see what the winning design was. Would it be Yugi's? Seto had thought that was an interesting idea: after all, Yugi was a top Duel Monsters competitor, and his Millennium Puzzle was quite iconic in the dueling world. A Millennium Duel Disk would definitely be a draw-in.

Mokuba practically bounced over to the giant projector screen that was pulled down on the stage. One of the KaibaCorp employees stood at a computer, ready to turn on the projector.

"Okay, let's get a drumroll!" he said, and the whole street filled with the sound of rapidly stomping feet. "The winner of the Kaiba Corporation Duel Disk Design Contest is..."

He pointed dramatically to the man at the computer, and the employee hit a few keys. The screen flickered on, revealing an image of a Duel Disk. There were two images: one was white and almost like a wing, accented with pink. The other was black and more like a bat's wing, accented with red.

"Ryo Bakura's Change of Heart Duel Disk!" Mokuba said.

Seto glanced back over his shoulder. Ryo's mouth had dropped open.

"The design is twofold," Mokuba continued. "There are two main designs, but in one Duel Disk: in short, the design can easily be flipped around to suit your personality!"

The screen changed, showing a moving blue print of a Duel Disk that folded in on itself, then opened back up in the other design.

"Not only that, but this new Duel Disk design is made to switch position whether you're right or left handed," Mokuba said. "In the original Duel Disk, this wasn't possible. But now, the Duel Disk can change to fit your needs and personality!"

Yugi was punching Ryo in the shoulder with a big grin on his face.

"'Mine was better'?" Yugi said. "Looks like yours was, Ryo!"

Ryo blinked once or twice.

"Wow," he said finally.

Seto glanced back at the moving blueprint, and then at Ryo.

"Out of curiosity," he said. "Did you make that blue print?"

"I didn't animate it, but I drew it," Ryo said. "That's – wow."

Seto looked at the blue print again. It had an extensive attention to detail, and Seto was surprised to see that the entire mechanism for the design and dominant hand switch had been drawn out. He looked back at the two boys: one his greatest rival, the other with the potential to become an even greater rival.

Still. He was Seto Kaiba. He would be able to handle it.

A/N: I didn't know what to do for this one, and then suddenly a Duel Disk design based off of Change of Heart jumped into my head, and I turned it into a story. :) I still don't like this one very much though. These characters just don't seem to flow well as a threesome. Okay, so next up is Tuftshipping (Ryuzaki/Rex Raptor x Mokuba). Hooray.


	32. Tuftshipping

_Tuftshipping (Ryuzaki x Mokuba)_

Mokuba Kaiba was bored out of his skull. He had thought it would be fun to be the tournament's rule proctor, but to be completely honest, no one was really breaking the rules. There wasn't anything for him to do. The few times he actually _had _caught someone breaking the rules, it had been so far over his head that his brother had had to take care of it, or the person in question got beaten in two minutes and there was no point in disqualifying them anymore.

"Hey, you!"

Mokuba started, glancing up. Was someone calling him?

"Yeah, you, with the black hair. You seen any Battle City duelists around?"

Mokuba followed the voice to its source. The boy wasn't much taller than he was, with long brown hair and a floppy skater hat. A tuft of purple bangs stuck out from under the hat, and he looked frustrated. It took a moment, but Mokuba recognized him. He was Dinosaur Ryuzaki, runner up in the regional tournament less than a year ago.

"What, you haven't found any? They're all over the place," Mokuba said, hopping off his bench. "This is one of the busier spots."

Ryuzaki glanced around.

"I don't see any duelists."

Mokuba flushed a little.

"Okay, so it _was _one of the busier spots a minute ago."

Ryuzaki scowled.

"You're no help at all," he said. "Geez. Of all times for Haga to ditch me."

Mokuba crossed his arms.

"Well, I'm _sorry_, but it's not my fault," he said.

"Oh, shove it, small fry."

Mokuba scowled even deeper than Ryuzaki had.

"You're barely taller than I am, and I'm only eleven," he said. "You're what – fourteen?"

"Fifteen," Ryuzaki said, glaring at Mokuba. "Don't pick a fight with me, kid. I might not be tall, but I'm tough."

"Yeah, well I'm Mokuba Kaiba, the Battle City rule proctor," Mokuba said. "I could disqualify you if you tried anything."

It felt good to be in charge. Was this how his brother felt every day?

Ryuzaki snorted.

"You? Mokuba Kaiba, the younger brother of Seto Kaiba? Not likely."

"Careful. My brother doesn't like whining from washed out runner ups."

Ryuzaki flinched, but he looked a little more uneasy.

"Aw, screw it," he said, stalking past Mokuba. "I'll find duelists on my own."

"Don't lose or anything, has been!" Mokuba said.

Ryuzaki flipped Mokuba off and kept walking. Mokuba stuck his tongue out at Ryuzaki's back. Then he sat back down on the bench, checking his watch.

Well. That had been surprisingly satisfying.

A/N: wow this is a load of crap. But Ryuzaki is obnoxious and Mokuba was bored, so what can I say? Next up is Trustshipping (Kaiba x Ishizu). *squeals with fangirl happiness*


	33. Trustshipping

_Trustshipping (Ishizu x Kaiba)_

It was scary how easy it was to hurt oneself. Ishizu couldn't help but think that as she drew the knife across her wrist again, barely wincing at the faint pain.

The small apartment she had rented in Domino City was bare and cold. She hadn't bothered to turn on the heat. After all, she only spent the nights here. The rest of her time was spent in the museum, trying to console herself that she could do this, that she could save her brother, despite the odds that stacked against her in her ever darkening visions.

But as soon as she was alone, in the dark, empty, unlived apartment, all she could see in her mind was blood: Marik's blood, when the pharaoh's secret was carved into his back, Rishid's blood, when she had walked in on him carving hieroglyphs into his face, her father's blood when the terrifying entity that possessed her brother carved the very skin from her father's back –

Why? Why only her? Everyone else had been hurt. Everyone else had lost blood. She sliced her wrist again – this time, it brought a small cry of pain. Alone. She was always alone. Mother had died before her eyes. Father had been brutally murdered by her own brother. Her brothers had left her behind. And why shouldn't they have? She didn't understand their pain. She never had. Her father had loved her, cared for her in a way that he had never cared for Rishid. And Marik...she had never understood his dreams, his longings. She had been content to live the life she was given.

Alone. Always alone. She would never understand them. She had it too easy. She had never felt their pain. Maybe if she could feel that pain, she would understand?

She put the knife to her wrist again.

The doorbell rang.

She was so surprised she cut a little deeper than she had meant to, crying out too loudly. Who was here? There shouldn't be anyone here.

The door opened – she had forgotten to lock it. Had they heard her cry?

She shoved the pocket knife into a desk drawer, out of sight as a figure appeared in the doorway. The silhouette was familiar: tall, with coat tails spread as though constantly blown by wind. Seto Kaiba? What was he doing here?

"What are you doing here?" she said.

His blue eyes were sharp, eying her.

"Well, there's some time before Battle City begins," he said tersely. "I thought you might know a little bit more than you're telling. I need to know more about the Ghouls."

"I've told you all that is important."

"Heh. You didn't deny that you know more than you've told."

Ishizu's mouth flattened into a thin line. Her wrist throbbed painfully: she needed to bandage that, before she bled to death. She had cut too deeply.

"And you just walked in?" Ishizu said calmly, trying to hide the pain from her voice.

Seto didn't answer, but Ishizu could see in his eyes that he had heard her cry out. It was shocking to realize that he was only sixteen. She was three years older than him, and he was so much taller than her. Her heart fluttered a bit, as visions of the past stirred in her. He looked exactly like Priest Set. Had they been close, in that life? She couldn't remember.

He stepped into the room. Ishizu stood up quickly.

"Please leave," she said. "You _are_ breaking and entering, you know."

He shrugged, as if to say, 'I'm Seto Kaiba. I can do what I want.'

Ishizu's wrist throbbed again, and she felt the blood running down her palm. The pain must have flashed in her eyes for a moment, because Seto's eyes narrowed. He stepped closer.

"Something's going on," he said. "When we met at the museum, I could tell. You know so much more than you're willing to tell me. So tell me: why tell me anything at all?"

"Because you wouldn't believe me if I told you everything," she said, and she was surprised at the words. They seemed to come involuntarily.

"Oh, really?" Seto said, moving so that he was now standing in front of her, looming over her. "You don't think I'd believe this?"

He reached around her, took the hand she was hiding behind her back, and pulled it around so that the bloody wrist was revealed in the light. Ishizu snatched her hand away, feeling a throb of pain as she did so.

"I didn't pin you as the type to cut," Seto said.

"You don't know me, Seto Kaiba."

Kaiba laughed softly, but there was no mirth in it.

"And you don't know me. And yet, you act like you do."

She did know him. She had seen him over and over in her visions, past and future.

"Go away, Seto Kaiba. I have nothing more to tell you."

Seto's eyes narrowed.

"Why are you cutting yourself?"

"That's none of your business."

He stepped back away from her. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but he didn't know how.

"I've been there already, Ishizu," he said finally. "Cutting doesn't solve a thing. And it just makes writing a whole lot harder with all the bandages."

Ishizu had started to draw into herself, trying to block everything out. But Seto's words made her stop. He had cut himself? When? He held her eyes, blue to brown, past and future meeting.

"You're not the only one who's been to hell and back," he said.

She could see it: the Millennium Tauk sent her eyes back, where a small nine-year-old boy sat at a desk, drawing the knife across his wrist. That man wouldn't leave him alone. This was not the life he had wanted. This is not the life he wanted for his little brother. He didn't want to live – but he had to. He didn't want to think, but his mind kept going back, back to the terrible accident where their parents had died before his eyes, a time that thankfully his little brother did not remember. And to have traded that for this man, who would never think of him as any more than a mere tool, something to be molded and shaped into something as despicable as the man was.

Ishizu came back to the present. And still, his eyes were on hers, refusing to let go of her gaze.

"Why are you still here?" she said. Her tone make her sound like she was pleading with him, but she didn't care.

He paused, and then, she realized that he didn't know himself. But Ishizu thought she understood.

Only those that have been through hell understand it. And people like them, despite their efforts to remain apart, could not stay away from each other.

A/N: I LOVE this pairing! :D I actually wrote this before I wrote Tuftshipping, but I have to post them in order, right? Otherwise I'd be writing Blueshipping and Puzzleshipping right now. I really love Ishizu. I think she's a much deeper and emotional character than the manga or anime gets to delve into. Same for Seto, although he's still a prick no matter how I look at him. I still have to love him, though. X) Next is Tributeshipping (Mahad x Kisara). Yay, an ancient Egypt one! :)


	34. Tributeshipping

_Tributeshipping (Kisara x Mahad)_

_(sorry for the wait, but I think I'm back on schedule now! :D)_

Mahad was pretending to be interested in listening to the daily fiscal report by the head scribe – really, this was supposed to be Akhenaden's job, and Mahad was a little miffed that he had skipped for no real reason – when a strange, glowing presence caught his attention. Not in the room, of course, or everyone would have wondered why anyone was entering the archives without permission.

But Mahad was a magician, and he sensed her as soon as she came into the palace. Still pretending to listen to the report, he spread his mind outward, trying to determine where the source was coming from. Her aura was bright – a blinding white-blue, but soft, so he knew she was female. There was a strength that coursed through her, despite the chipped and fragmented edges of her soul, brought on by sorrow and hardship. This girl had not had an easy life, Mahad mused.

It was difficult, but he managed to wait until the scribe was done talking, and slipped away while the frazzled old official started haphazardly scooping up all his scrolls and materials.

Mahad glided through the myriad halls and corridors that made the maze of the Royal Palace, following the pointed spires of his Millennium Ring to the source of the blinding aura. To be honest, he didn't really have to use the Millennium Ring – her soul was so bright he could have tracked it from miles away.

The trail led him into the even more labyrinth-like servant's quarters at the back of the room. Could she be a servant? Not possible – he would have sensed her long ago. The light in his mind pulsed slowly and steadily – she was asleep, then.

His search led him to a small door-less archway. He hesitated, throwing his mind outward to make sure he was alone. There were three female servants in the hallway opposite, but they did not appear to be coming in his direction. The only other occupant of this area was the girl with the bright soul.

Mahad flicked his cape back and stepped into the room.

She lay on a servant's cot, chest rising and falling, slowly, steadily. Her fair skin practically glowed in the torch light, and her white-blue hair glittered like finely spun metal. Her eyes were closed, but Mahad could clearly imagine them being a startling azure blue.

This was no servant. She did not belong here – she could not even be from this country!

He vaguely remembered a long ago ambassador from Pelesat. He, too, had been fair skinned. Could she be from there, perhaps? But then why was she here now?

He moved his hand over her, feeling out her aura. It was powerful – the most powerful aura he had ever sensed. The edges were more fragmented that he had realized: she was badly injured, both physically and mentally. But a deadly beauty and strength coursed beneath: a Shadow Creature of the highest caliber. Seto must have brought her in – he had been looking for powerful Kas, after all.

Her eyes fluttered, and Mahad drew his hand back. Her lips moved, a desperate, silent plea – but for what?

"Dhalia," she murmured. "Falastin..."

The barest hint of tears shone at the edges of her eyes, and Mahad could only guess at the true identity of the names she whispered.

A soft tug pulled at his mind – the pharaoh had returned from his court hearings. Mahad would have to go to his side now.

He cast a last, sad glance at the unconscious girl.

"May Hathor alleviate your suffering," he murmured. "All gods be with you."

And, not without sorrow, he left her to sleep.

A/N: so I decided that Kisara is Palestinian, because it's the only country near Egypt that I can confirm had light skinned people. (Palestine was called Pelesat in Ancient Egypt). And I have no idea who the people's names she whispered are, but I looked up some random Palestinian names and threw them in there. I'm assuming they're family members that she lost in the raid in which she was captured, before Seto rescued her. I may work that more into her character in later oneshots. Next is Trendshipping (Anzu x Shizuka x Miho). And if you don't know who Miho is, she's from season 0 and had a brief appearance in the manga.


	35. Trendshipping

_Trendshipping (Miho x Shizuka x Anzu)_

_(I was surprised that Miho was included on this list.)_

"Oh, oh, oh! Anzu, Anzu, look at this! It's beautiful!"

The sunlight streamed gently through the huge windows of the specialty store, dancing across the racks upon racks of clothing. Anzu glanced up from the clearance rack, where she had been looking at sweaters. Miho twirled a few times, showing off the fit of the pale purple dress on her modest curves.

"It looks nice on you, Miho-chan," Anzu said. "Are you going to buy it?"

"Miho doesn't have any money," she said, speaking in the third person as usual. She twirled once more, the light glittering off the long, gathered skirt. "Maybe Miho can convince Honda to buy it!"

Anzu smiled, exasperated.

"Stop taking advantage of Honda-kun," she said, but she couldn't help but laugh. "Take a look at these: cute, right?"

She held up a plain, pink knit sweater and a black vest.

"I'm thinking about getting this skirt too," she said, holding up a soft black miniskirt. "It would look nice with my leggings and boots, don't you think?"

Miho pouted.

"Stop limiting yourself to the clearance section! Come over here: there's this beautiful red dress I want to see you try on."

Anzu rolled her eyes good-naturedly, hooking the hangers of her selections over her arm. It was fun, just hanging out with the girls. She could have never brought Yugi or Jonouchi to a place like this.

"I don't have that much money to spend," she said. "Besides, I don't have a reason to buy a dress."

"You're no fun," Miho said, pouting some more. "You'd look so nice in it."

"Whatever. Where's Shizuka?"

Miho's eyes sparkled, and Anzu couldn't help but grin.

"What did you make her try on?"

"Just a dress," Miho said, playing with the fabric of the dress. "I think she's too embarrassed to come out, though."

"Let's go get her, then," Anzu said, moving towards the dressing rooms.

At that moment, Shizuka's small hand appeared on the curtain, drawing it back.

"Um...what do you guys think?"

The red-head wore a frilly, almost lolita style pale green dress with long sleeves and lots of ribbons. Miho clapped her hands giddily.

"I told you, Shizuka-chan! You look gor-geous!"

"I bet all the boys will fall for you," Anzu said, winking.

A knowing blush fell across Shizuka's face, and Miho's face fell.

"Hey, wait a minute...Shizuka-chan, are you trying to steal Bakura-kun?"

"You don't have to worry on that front," Anzu laughed. "I think Shizuka-chan has her eyes set on Honda-kun."

Shizuka's face went beet red, and she stammered for a few minutes before forcing out a sentence.

"W-well, you have a crush on Yugi-kun, so it's not that big of a deal!"

A small blush crept across Anzu's face, but she smiled anyway.

"Well, it's not like I'm trying to hide it," she said cheerily. "If only Yugi was as perceptive as you, Shizuka-chan."

She laid her selections across her arm.

"Come on," she said. "Let's wrap this up so we can go get some ice cream."

She moved towards the register as the other girls went back to change, Miho grilling Shizuka the whole time to make sure she didn't have any feelings for Bakura. Geez, the love entanglements in this group. Shizuka liked Honda, Honda liked Miho, Miho liked Bakura, and Anzu was pretty sure Bakura liked Shizuka. At least she wasn't a part of that cycle, despite her conflicting feelings for Yugi and the recently departed Atem.

Sadness crept into her mood. Could she ever really like Yugi without thinking of Atem? Was she going to be torn between them forever, even though Atem had already passed on?

"Anzu-chan!" Miho squealed, jumping on her. "Help Miho pay for her things!"

"Geez, Miho," Anzu said. "You've got more money than I do!"

"I know, but we haven't even gone to the jewelry store yet!"

Shizuka giggled, clutching her purchase. The girls left the store into the orangey street of sunset, laughing and talking about nothing at all. Anzu's sadness vanished instantly. The sun shone, the girls laughed, nothing threatened to take over the world, no boys were around for once...just her and the girls, doing absolutely nothing of importance.

Anzu hooked her arms into her friend's arms.

"I love you girls," she said.

Shizuka smiled softly, and Miho giggled.

The world smiled.

A/N: Anzu needs more time with her girlfriends. :) If this wasn't a shipping, I'd throw Ishizu and Mai in there too. Too much world-saving with a bunch of boys can wear on a girl. Coming up next is Trenchshipping (Honda x Haga). Sigh.


	36. Trenchshipping

_Trenchshipping (Hiroto x Haga)_

Haga punched a wall and instantly regretted it. He waved his hand a couple times, as though that would get rid of the pain. Had it really been a year since Battle City? Domino hadn't changed an inch. There were even still people walking around with Duel Disks, though they were mostly made up of elementary and middle school kids pretending to be various duelists in the park. There had been one boy with a cardboard pyramid on yarn, pretending to be Yugi, and a girl with a deck crawling with harpies pretending to be Mai Kujaku.

He had left as soon as one of the kids summoned Time Wizard and said he was Katsuya Jonouchi.

It wasn't fair. He had been the champion. Those kids should be looking up to him, not that stupid Jonouchi!

People passed by without looking at him, just another short kid on the sidewalk. Stores flashed their neon lighted Open signs, and people sat around round tables in open air cafes, their laughter floating across the street to Haga, who glared at the sunny blue sky with its white fluffy clouds, convinced that the entire world was mocking him. He thoughts wandered to the untouched college applications on his desk at home, a train ride away. They moved on to his aunt's revelation that she couldn't pay for his college funds, the cards in the Duel Disk he wore that he had barely touched for a year, and the feeling of utter uselessness he had felt all year.

There was an ant colony scurrying about the sidewalk, ignored by the passerby and ignoring the passersby in turn. He wondered for a moment how they managed to find enough space for their whole family in the cracks of the sidewalk.

Haga crouched down to stare at their chaotic, yet strangely organized bustle. It looked like a foot had scuffled across their mound, and they were busy at work repairing it.

"Don't even bother," he said. "Really. Someone will just kick it down again."

"Is that really your approach to life?"

Haga lost his balance in surprise, and, wheeling his arms a few times, managed to fall backwards instead of on top of the busy ants.

A boy stood over him, school bag slung over one shoulder. His navy blue school jacket hung open, revealing the untucked white shirt beneath. He looked down at the fallen Haga, curious brown eyes looking out from under a ridiculously over-spiked brown hair do. What, did he think he was a gang member of something?

"Hey, Haga, right?" he said. "Shouldn't you have school or something?"

Haga was surprised that this kid knew his name, but was determined not to show it. He jumped to his feet, brushing himself off indignantly and trying not to notice how much taller the boy was than him.

"I could ask you the same question," he snapped.

"I have early release," the boy said. "Hiroto Honda, by the way. I doubt you'd remember me."

Haga squinted at him.

"What, have I met you before?"

"Not really. I'm one of Yugi and Jonouchi's friends."

"Oh, perfect. Just what I needed today."

Honda half grinned.

"You seem in a cheerful mood."

"I don't like sarcasm!" Haga snapped. "And for your information, I don't have to be in school. I graduated early."

Noting Honda's unconvinced look, Haga bristled, and drew himself up to his full height.

"I'm older than I look!" he said. "I turned seventeen last week!"

Honda appeared to be trying to hide a smile, and Haga felt himself getting angry again.

"If you just want to laugh at me, then buzz off! I have no time for people like you!"

"Obviously. So what are you doing in Domino again?"

Haga folded his arms, determined not to answer.

"Yugi or Jonouchi?" Honda said.

Haga blinked, taken aback.

"Huh?"

"Yugi, or Jonouchi?" Honda repeated. "Which one are you here to duel?"

Haga glanced down and realized he was wearing his Duel Disk. Damn. A dead giveaway.

"Both of them, one after the other," Haga said. "And in public, too, so I can gloat when I win."

"Or whine when you lose," Honda said.

Haga was about to retort, but Honda cut him off.

"Yugi and Jonouchi don't really duel much anymore, you know. They haven't been in a tournament since...well, since Battle City, I guess."

"Huh?" Haga said. "Why not? Yugi's world champion. Isn't that his job? And Jonouchi's always going off about being 'the true duelist.'"

Honda shrugged.

"Everybody's growing up, moving on, I guess," he said. "Yugi's looking into an internship in Egypt: he wants to study archeology. And Jonouchi, if you can believe it, is thinking about going into social work for troubled teenagers."

"Are we talking about the same Katsuya Jonouchi here?" Haga said.

"Only one I know," Honda said. "What about you, Haga? Are you still dueling?"

"Of course I am!" Haga said, but it was a blatant lie and they both knew it.

Haga hadn't joined a tournament in a year. He had barely looked at his cards. He couldn't bring himself to flip through the worn slips of paper, staring at the creatures that he had once treasured more than anything.

"I – it's because of Yugi, and Jonouchi!" Haga said. "They took away all my confidence! I haven't been able to play a game since I lost to Jonouchi – it's humiliating! I used to be the best of the best, and now look at me! It's all their fault – all of it! That's why I'm going to duel them and win and then I'll be first place again –"

He didn't notice Honda's hand moving until it smacked him firmly on the forehead. Haga stumbled back a few steps, eyes widening in complete surprise. He couldn't speak for a few moments, his mouth flapping open and closed uselessly. Honda jumped into the gap.

"I think you need to get over yourself," Honda said. "Yugi and Jonouchi are moving on. Everyone is. Times change, Haga. People change. You need to stop blaming others, and start looking at what's really going on."

"W-what right do you have to tell me that?" Haga stammered.

Honda grimaced.

"Jonouchi told me the exact same thing once. Only he hit me harder – and in the diaphragm."

Honda shoved his free hand into his pocket.

"It all comes down to one thing, Haga: are you happy? And if not, what's the problem? And don't tell me it's somebody else's fault."

Haga stared at him, completely and utterly taken aback.

_"Hey, mommy, look what I found!"_

_Glasses askew, bangs in his face, he ran over to his mother, bent over a pile of papers with her brow furrowed. She looked up with a tired smile as he held up his hands._

_"Oh, wow," she said, always the entranced audience. "That's a huge praying mantis! Where did you find it?"_

_"In the back yard, on the gate!" he said excitedly. "Can I keep it mom, can I?"_

_She cupped her hands over his, letting the wondrous green creature climb onto her own hand. She brought it up to her eye level, watching him with that soft, wondering gaze that he always loved._

_"Don't you think," she said, without looking away from the mantis, "that he'll be happier if he's free?"_

_He hadn't thought of it that way. He scuffed his foot, a little ashamed. But she smiled, and let the mantis crawl back into his hand._

_"Everyone needs to be let go, little Haga," she said, ruffling his hair. "Even you, someday, will want to fly free. Remember him when you think of that, okay?"_

_And then he was standing in front of her grave, on an uncharacteristically hot, sunny day, burning up in his too big suit as drying tears stained his face._

_And there was the mantis, holding its arms together on top of his mother's grave. Praying._

_Her grave read: True freedom lies in letting go._

Honda brought Haga back to the present with a single sentence.

"You gotta keep building," he said, brushing past him. "Those ants are a good example."

Then he was gone.

Haga stood still and frozen in the sidewalk for a few moments, watching the ants work hard building a home that would most likely fall again. Would his dreams fall through again?

A flash of green caught his attention. There was a praying mantis on the wall beside him, staring at him upside down. Haga held its gaze for only the barest moment.

Then he turned, and ran down the street towards the train.

_Okay, if you say so, mom._

A/N: I have to say, ever since I started delving into Haga's possibly backstories, I find myself liking him more and more. So that means that the only Yu-Gi-Oh character that I absolutely hate is Bandit Keith. X3 Next up on the Yu-Gi-Oh Shipping Challenge...Trapshipping! (Yami no Bakura x Ryo x Yugi x Yami no Yugi). This should be fun. :3


	37. Trapshipping

_Trapshipping (Yami no Yugi x Yugi x Yami no Bakura x Ryou)_

_(this should be fun. :3)_

Where could he go? Where could he run, hide, get away from this monster? Was there a way to escape from his own mind?

All the street lights were out as he pushed himself harder and faster down the street – was this his doing? Where was everyone? There should be people here, even at night – it was the entertainment district, wasn't it? But the neon signs of the karaoke bars and pubs were out, and the cafes were silent. It seemed as though even the stars had been put out: the only light that remained was the eerie half light of the crescent moon, hanging almost sideways in the sky.

Where could he go? Where could he hide?

Could he hide?

Tall spires rose up before him, as though to pierce the sky. The moonlight glinted across stained glass stories, and something rose up within him – hope? Could this sacred place possibly deter the thing that pursued him?

He had no other options, shoving against the hard, heavy wood. It took him a precious minute to realize that the door opened outwards, and he fumbled for the cold metal handle, yanking the door open and practically falling inside.

And just inside the sacred ways he lay, breathing heavily, trying to ignore the pounding in his head that was not his heart, but the sounds of _him._

He had not escaped. He could never escape. _His _laugh shook through him, sending waves of terror and pain through his blood.

He could hear the footsteps, coming from deeper within the church: slow, confident, in no hurry. _He_ knew that _he _was in control. Ryo Bakura could do nothing to stop _him._

He dared to crack open his eyes. There: leaning against the altar, lounging with his arms folded, irreverent as always, black coat falling around him like Death's robe.

"Thought you could run, Ryo?" he said, softly, but his voice rang in the emptiness. "How cute."

Ryo closed his eyes.

It was already over.

But the footsteps froze.

"Well, well, well," he said softly. "How did you get in here?"

"Stay away from Ryo-kun," said a soft, but strong voice.

Ryo's eyes flew open. Yugi? What was Yugi doing here?

"As irreverent as always, I see," said another voice, this one deep and sharp. "What gives you the right to do your dirty work in _church_?"

Ryo pushed himself up. Yami no Bakura shrugged.

"You don't believe in any of this, any more than I do, pharaoh," Yami no Bakura said. "We both know that the Egyptian gods are all that exist."

"And I would no more tolerate your blatant sacrilege in a temple as I would here," said the sharp, angry voice of Yami no Yugi. "Temples and churches are sacred places, Bakura. You have no right to be within one."

Yugi appeared beside Ryo.

"Can you stand up?" Yugi said.

"Y-Yugi?" Ryo said. "What's going on?"

"You're dreaming," Yugi said, slipping his arm under Ryo's and helping him up. "The pharaoh and I came over, and we found you unconscious. The pharaoh brought us into your mindscape."

"This – this isn't real?"

"It's a dream, but it's definitely real," Yugi said, sounding almost nervous.

Ryo could understand why. If this was really a dream, then Yami no Bakura would be able to manipulate it to his own liking.

Yugi pulled Ryo back, back behind the sharp silhouette of Yami no Yugi. The ancient spirit's red eyes flashed in the half light of the candles in every corner of the church. Yami no Bakura grinned.

"This is perfect. So perfect! I have all three of you in one place. You fool, pharaoh. This will be your downfall."

"You are not the only one with shadow powers, Bakura," Yami no Yugi said, eyes narrow. "I am just as skilled in the art of mindscapes as you are."

Yami no Bakura laughed – a high, cold sound that sent a terrible shudder down Ryo's spine. Yugi squeezed Ryo's hand.

"You are the pharaoh, yes," Bakura said with a malicious grin. "But I _am_ the shadows. And the shadows are more likely to side with their own."

Instantly, the illusion of the church dissipated. Yami no Yugi's arms dropped from their folded position, shadows gathering at the palms.

Next thing Ryo knew, Domino City had been replaced with a land of shifting sands, with dark pyramids in the distance that looked more like monsters in the warped, hazy air.

Yami no Bakura snapped his fingers, and the sand lifted itself up, forming into several ghost monsters that Ryo recognized from the deck he had created. Yami no Yugi blinked once, and the Dark Magician formed from sand. Ryo's head throbbed – the power of the beings inside his mindscape _hurt_.

He could feel his Yami half's mind swirling beside his own, always attached, always connected – no escape, and Ryo often wondered if it would just be easier to sink beneath its dark depths. Sometimes, he couldn't bring himself to care whether he vanished or not.

But he could feel Yami no Yugi's mind too, a blaze, like a two-story bonfire that refused to be quenched. His mind was a fire that refused to let the darkness consume it.

Yugi squeezed his hand, his mind like soft, trickling water flowing around Ryo, the sound of the calm eye of a storm.

What did his own mind sound like, he wondered? Would it be out of place, surrounded by this powerful minds of darkness, fire, and water?

Yugi squeezed Ryo's hand even harder.

"Breathe," he said. "We won't let you be alone."

And Ryo's mind felt soft, air-like, a breeze that could be so easily swayed – but he melded with the three powerful minds around him, drawing on their power, whipping his breeze into a mighty storm, a whirlwind that buffeted everything away, keeping him safe.

He wondered if something was wrong with him, thinking the way he was thinking. Perhaps it was the intoxicating, swirling landscape of his own mindscape, twisted by his Yami half.

But his wind was strong, he realized, and he was not alone.

Darkness, Fire, Water, Air.

Fire, Water, Air.

Water, Air.

Air.

A/N: Gah. I had much higher hopes for this one. It got WAY abstract. Next is Tragicshipping (Pegasus x Cyndia x Keith).


	38. Tragicshipping

_Tragicshipping (Pegasus x Cyndia x Keith)_

He saw her every single day, at the very same spot.

He wasn't stalking her – not at all! It wasn't his fault that she showed up at that same park bench at ten A.M., the one right behind the gazebo, with its back to the lake and playground. He just liked to have a smoke there around the same time every day, that was all.

She was cute – in a naïve kind of way. Long blond hair, pulled back from sparkling blue eyes, which were always focused on the sketchbook that she brought every day with a wide eyed wonder. She never drew in it when she was sitting there, but he figured she must have done them. He didn't understand why she would stare at her own drawings, though.

She dressed nice, like a rich girl. Always in a different dress. He liked the way she looked in green best. It made him feel a little out of place, in his ratty motorcycle jacket and torn jeans. He often wondered how old she was – didn't look too much older or younger than him, and he was eighteen.

A chilly September morning dawned, and, at ten A.M., he showed up at his regular spot, leaning against the big oak tree across the path and to the far left of her bench. He fumbled with the lighter for a few moments, his fingers numb. But after he lit the cigarette, he paused without smoking it, letting it dangle from his fingers. She appeared, coming around the corner of the path up ahead. She wore green today, and it practically shone among the oranges and reds of the trees turning colors. A new, red-bound sketchbook was tucked under her arm with almost reverence.

She'd walk to her bench, sit down, throw a few bread crumbs for the pigeons, and then turn to the sketchbook. She always did.

But today was a little different.

Her blue eyes met his, and he started, dropping his unsmoked cigarette. Swearing softly, he crushed the smoldering tube before it caught the park on fire. The surprise didn't end – she walked over to him.

"Good morning," she said, her voice soft and airy. "I keep seeing you around. I'm Cyndia. What's your name?"

"Ah, uh, Keith," he managed. He hadn't imagined their first meeting like this. He had wanted to introduce himself first. "Keith Howard."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Keith," she said.

"Uh, yeah, you too," he said, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the minute. "Cyndia, right?"

"That's me," she said, smiling. "Do you come here by yourself?"

"Well, yeah. There's not too much else to do. I see you over there a lot. Any special reason?"

She laughed softly.

"Not really. I just really like this area – I met my best friend here."

"Is that right? Must be pretty special, then."

"Oh, yes," she said.

She had moved the nice, new-looking sketchbook to her chest, hugging it tightly.

"Hey," Keith said. "Not to get in your business or anything, but I notice you've got something like that every time you come up here."

She blinked, and followed his gaze to the sketchbook.

"Oh, this?" she said. "My friend, Peggy, is an artist. After some sketches are done, I look at all of them and choose the one I think should be a painting. Would you like to see? They're really quite good."

She was already sliding the strap out of its hole and opening the sketchbook. The purposefully yellowed pages flipped open, and Keith was greeted with several images of Cyndia herself. One showed her laughing – so realistically that Keith almost expected to see her shoulders shaking. The next two were simple portrait style pictures, and the last one showed her staring into the distance, not so much romantically as she looked completely spaced out.

"What do you think?" she said, looking bright. "Peggy's good, right?"

Keith let out a low whistle.

"Yeah, that's top-notch, not that I'm much of a judge," he said. "I like the first one – the laughing one."

"That's my favorite too," she said, turning the sketchbook to face her.

She touched each image fondly, and Keith felt a sudden surge of jealousy against those pictures.

"So, your friend's an artist?"

"Going to be, someday," Cyndia said. She closed the book with a soft, fond sigh. "I love looking at his pictures. It makes me feel so calm."

"Yeah, that'll be cool," he said.

And then,

"Him? Peggy's a him?"

"Cyndia!"

The call caught both of their attentions. A figure had appeared at the end of the path, waving. Keith couldn't help but feel his lip curl. The boy – if he could really find it in himself to call him a boy – had long, silvery hair, and dressed like he was some British kid, with suspenders and everything.

"Oh, that's him!" Cyndia said, eyes brightening.

"Cyndi!" the boy called Peggy shouted again. "Your father says you have to get home right away so you can finish packing! He wants to leave right away!"

"Coming!" Cyndia called. She turned to Keith, with a smile that suddenly made him feel sick. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Keith. I hope I can introduce you to my friend Pegasus sometime."

She turned and hurried up the hill, her green dress melding with the still green grass as she ran over to the boy named Peggy. They paused on top of the hill for a moment, and Keith couldn't hear their words. But he saw her laughing, and he lingered just long enough to see their hands intertwine. The girl he had watched, with this crazy guy that looked like and had a name like a girl.

"Peggy" didn't deserve her for a second – but Keith did. He knew he did.

But he would never return to the park again.

"Peggy!" Cyndia said, breathlessly as she reached the top of the hill. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize the time!"

"Oh, you have plenty of time, but you know how your father gets," Pegasus said, grinning. "By the way, who's that boy you were talking to?"

"Oh, that's Keith Howard," Cyndia said. "I just met him today – he's the boy I told you about, that I see every day? I thought I'd introduce myself. He liked your drawings."

"Really?" Pegasus said, a little excited despite himself.

He glanced down the hill towards the boy called Keith, slouching away in his black jacket and red-white-and-blue bandana. As Cyndia's hand entwined with his, he felt a strange shudder go through him, like a warning.

"What's wrong, Peggy?" Cyndia asked.

"Nothing, Cyndi," Pegasus said. "Keith Howard, huh..."

A/N: I love this one. :D Keith is still a total jerk, though. I will never like him as long as I live. Next is Tradeshipping (Seto x Sugoroku). Gross...


	39. Tragedyshipping

_Tragedyshipping (Mark x Amane)_

_(I know I said Tradeshipping would be next, but SerenePanic was kind enough to tell me about a shipping that was not already on the list that I'm using. It happens to fit alphabetically into this spot, so it's here now. I hope I do justice to it!)_

He first starting reading the forbidden chapters of the ancient scriptures when he was eight years old. The old hieroglyphics came slowly to him, but he didn't dare ask Ishizu to read it to him. He knew what he was doing was against everything he had been taught. He wasn't old enough to read these chapters – in fact, only his father was allowed to read this part of the scriptures.

But his father was never in the archive. Marik felt safe there. And very curious.

Ishizu read the scriptures to him a lot. Marik secretly preferred it when Rishid made up stories for him – his older brother's voice was so rich, and made even the most boring of stories more interesting – but Rishid wasn't allowed to read the scriptures anymore. Not since Marik was born.

At first, reading the old, forbidden scriptures was more of an action of boredom rather than rebellion. They were fascinating: detailing old battles, secret societies, ancient conspiracies, prophecies, even things that belonged to the world above him. He wondered who learned about these things to write them down. He didn't know of anyone who was allowed to go to the surface.

But later, while his back twinged with ghost pains and the tears threatened to spill over once again, he turned to forbidden tomes as a secret, personal rebellion.

It was best when he stumbled across the passages about spells and curses. He would mouth the words slowly, silently (never aloud for fear they might work), allowing himself to fantasize about what would happen if he used them. Everything from finding water to killing your enemies was listed somewhere in the ancient words – but he could never find a spell that would allow him to escape his earthen prison.

He was ten years old and just barely recovering from the Tombkeeper initiation when he realized that someone was watching him.

A soft rustle caught his attention, like the swish of robes, and he jerked upwards with terror. The scroll in his lap clattered to the floor as he crunched up as small as he could go. But no shadow appeared the doorway. He chanced a peek. What was that shadow in the corner? Was it coming from the shelves? No...the candlelight should fall there...maybe it was a stain.

He looked nervously at the scroll he had dropped – the scroll with the spell for summoning spirits. Maybe he had given a little more breath to the words that usual...he _might_ have tried to actually say the spell...but it couldn't possibly have worked, could it?

The candle flickered – and went out.

Marik yelped – so did a small voice in the corner with the strange shadow.

He tumbled from his chair and winced as he hit the hard stone floor. Instantly, he curled up into a ball as tightly as he could manage.

_It's not real,_ he whispered to himself. _It's not real. It can't be real. It can't be. It can't hurt me._

Nothing happened for the longest time. He chanced a peek.

In the darkness, the shadow in the corner seemed a little more solid. He could almost make out features, like a little child crouching down with its hands over its head, looking just as scared as he felt. The longer he looked, the more he could make out: eyes squeezed shut, with her pale hands clutching fistfuls of her silky white hair that fell around her blue-clad shoulders.

Neither of them moved. Both children huddled in their tiny balls. Finally, the girl cracked one eye open, and caramel brown eyes met Marik's violet ones.

He lipped his lips, which had become suddenly dry.

"Um...hello."

She trembled slightly.

"...hi."

She was as terrified as he was, he realized. This thought bolstered his courage, and he sat up.

"Who are you?" he asked. "How did you get down here? I've never seen anyone as pale as you. Where do you come from?"

She shivered, and slowly, slowly let her hands drop from her head.

"I'm...Amane," she said softly. "Bakura Amane. I live in Tokyo."

"Where's that?"

"In Japan."

Marik chewed on the inside of his cheek. Ja-Pan? He had never heard of such a place, not in any of the scriptures, or from Ishizu or Rishid or his father.

"Um...who are you?" she asked.

"Oh," Marik said, blushing a little for forgetting. "I'm Marik Ishtar."

"Pleased to meet you," Amane said shyly, ducking her head in what appeared to be a bow.

Marik blinked, surprised by the gesture and wondering if he was supposed to return it. People from this Ja-Pan place were a little odd, he thought.

"How did you get here?"

"I don't know," she whimpered. "I was telling momma all about my trip, and then everything got loud and bright, and there was this loud screech, and then it hurt all over, and then it was all dark and light and dizzy and then I was here. Where is here?"

Marik felt himself drooping a little. She was a ghost, after all, not a stowaway from the surface. But...the spell had worked. She was here. She looked real – she talked like a normal human being, and got scared like a normal human being...

He crawled over to her and sat down beside her. She shuddered a little, but didn't shy away.

"Where is here?" she said again, a little more desperately.

"You're in Egypt," he said.

Her eyes drooped.

"Oh," she said softly. "I was here just two days ago with papa. I found a nice birthday present for Ryo-nii."

Her words died in the silence, and then the silence grew.

She spoke first.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" she said.

Marik jumped a little.

"W-what kind of question is that?"

She ducked her head, not looking at him.

"I told Ryo-nii to smile," she said. "I think that's the last thing I said. Then everything got dark and light and dizzy. I didn't think death would feel like that."

Marik had absolutely no idea what to say. His mouth flapped open and closed a few times, and then he closed it again. Neither of them spoke. He licked his lips for perhaps the hundredth time.

"I used a spell," he whispered, as if speaking loudly would make her vanish. "I didn't think it would work. It was for summoning a ghost."

"Is that why I'm here?" she said.

"I guess so."

"How do I go see momma, then?"

"I...don't know. You'll probably just...vanish, after a while."

She didn't answer. Slowly, she hugged her knees to herself and hid her face between them.

"Marik-san?" she said quietly, without lifting her head.

"W-what?"

"If I died in Japan...and we're in Egypt...then why did your spell bring me? I was so very far away."

Marik blinked. It was a valid question. He hadn't thought of it before.

"I...I don't know."

Again, the silence grew between them. Marik dug his fingers into the ground.

"Um, Amane," he said. "Could you...maybe tell me about what life is like...in Japan?"

Amane peeked out through her arms at him.

"You want to know? From someone who's dead?"

"No one else will tell me. I've never...seen the sun before."

Amane lifted her head fully, staring at him with wide brown eyes. Surprise flickered in those eyes, but Marik didn't elaborate. They held each other's gaze for a while.

And then Amane started to talk.

Words painted pictures in the recesses of Marik's mind: things called cars that could travel across the land without anything pulling them, sprawling towns called cities that had towers that reached hundreds of feet high (Marik could barely understand the concept of something that tall), hundreds of thousands of people bustling up and down the streets, telephones that could be used to talk to people hundreds of miles away, factories that could make just about anything, festivals and school trips (he had to ask her to elaborate on what a "school" was), airplanes, and motorcycles – he could barely breathe for wonder.

Amane's voice trailed off. Marik reached out to her, about to ask her not to stop, but he noticed the tears at the corners of her eyes.

"I'm never...gonna see any of that ever again," she said. "Marik-san...I'm afraid."

Marik's hand, paused in midair above her shoulder, tentatively moved. He brushed his fingers against the strange weaving of her clothing. A shiver ran through her.

"I think...you'll be okay," he said softly, wishing he could say something better.

She hugged her knees tightly. Then she took a deep breath.

"I can feel something tugging at me," she said. "You were right. I'm going to vanish in a moment."

Marik opened his mouth, but he had nothing to say. Slowly, she turned to look at him. Then she leaned over, and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"Thank you, Marik-san," she said. "I'm glad I got to talk to you. I think we could have been friends if we had time."

"I – me too," he said, still feeling hot on his cheeks.

The shelves started to show through Amane's body, and Marik's fingers no longer felt anything solid.

"Marik-san!" Amane said in a hurried whisper. "Marik-san, I know why I came for your spell!"

"What?"

"It's because of nii-chan – you're going to meet my nii-chan – please, Marik-san, please make sure that he's smiling for me –"

And then she was gone.

He started at the spot where she had been, his hand still hovering in midair where it had once touched her shoulder.

"Nii...chan?" he said, testing the word out on his tongue. "I wonder...what that word means..."

_Seven years later_

Sunlight glinted off of white hair, imitating the light that glinted off the ocean foam. Marik had a job to do, but his eyes couldn't help but be attracted by the sight.

He drew in a sharp breath.

Then the figure turned, and soft, boyish features looked out at him. Gold glinted at the boy's chest: the familiar sight of the Eye of Horus greeted Marik.

He forced himself to remain calm. He had a job to do. A mission. He couldn't be distracted.

But for the briefest moment, he had thought it was _her..._

A/N: Aw, it's so sweet! And to think I might have missed this one! Thanks SerenePanic, for letting me know about it! And I managed to throw in some implied Angstshipping as well. :) We fangirls are a dangerous breed...heh, heh. Okay, so next will be Tradeshipping for sure this time (Seto x Sugoroku). Geez...at least I got to postpone it for a little bit...


	40. Tradeshipping

_Tradeshipping (Seto x Suguroku)_

The door jingled, indicating that a customer had entered the game shop. But Sugoroku didn't even look up from the ancient Aztec game he was working on cleaning.

"You're here again, hm?" he said.

The tall figure of Seto Kaiba looked strangely out of place in the dusty game shop. What with all the shelves full to bursting with games, stands that were nearly toppling over, and disorganization as far as the eye could see (which was not far at all), the clean cut suit, practical suitcase and slicked back hair of the young businessman made him look like he had stepped out of his conference meeting at a hotel and ended up in the lobby where the anime convention was taking place.

"Looks like you just came out of a big meeting," Sugoroku said, finally looking up from his piece. "What brings you here?"

"You know what it is, old man," he snapped.

"Hmph. Kids these days. No respect."

He let his eyes drop back down to the game and continue to clean it. It was an odd piece. Looked like a small helmet with holes for pegs all over. Sugoroku would have to do some research on it, find out how it was played.

Neither figure spoke nor moved. Each one waited for the other to crack.

It didn't take long.

"Cut the crap, old man," Kaiba said, dropping his suitcase so that it slammed to the floor, mimicking the anger on Kaiba's face. "You know why I'm here."

"Yes, and _you_ know my answer," Sugoroku said.

He set the game down carefully on the table, studying it. Perhaps it was a peg racing game, like that old Egyptian frog game he had sold a few days ago. The peg holes weren't quite in the right position though.

"Stop ignoring me!" Kaiba said, slamming his hand on the table.

The helmet game wobbled, and, with a sigh, Sugoroku swept it off the table and stowed it safely away. He didn't need a repeat of last week, when the angry Kaiba had shattered the Ming game vase. Ten thousand yen, down the drain.

"You know, I think you need to be ignored every once and a while," Sugoroku said, finally meeting Seto's fiery blue eyes. "Maybe then you'll realize that the world doesn't revolved around you."

"Stop acting so superior. I've already beat you in Duel Monsters once – what more do I have to do?"

Sugoroku snorted.

"Unlike you, my life doesn't revolve around whether or not I win a game," he said. "How many times does my grandson have to beat you before you realize there's more to life than winning?"

"Don't preach at me, old man. Life _is_ about winning. Single people, businesses, love, even charities – everything is competing with everything else for money, love, and attention. So why shouldn't I want to win?"

"Then let me rephrase it," Sugoroku said. "When are you going to realize that there's more to life than _games_?"

Kaiba paused. Sugoroku turned around to the shelves behind the desk, checking each dusty, overflowing cubby for what he was looking for.

"I used to think life was one big game myself," he said.

"Spare me the 'when I was your age' speech," Kaiba groaned.

Sugoroku ignored him.

"Back then, Duel Monsters wasn't my game. Archeology was. It was one big competition: who could find the biggest, most important discovery first?"

Kaiba drummed his fingers on the table, obviously anxious to be gone, but too curious to leave. Finally, Sugoroku found the box he was looking for. He blew the dust off of the plain brown top and turned back to face Kaiba.

"I enjoyed the competition. I thrived on 'winning,'as you do now. Then a friend gave me this."

He pushed the box across the table. Kaiba stared at it, nose wrinkling.

"It smells like old people," he said.

Sugoroku waited. He knew Kaiba's curiosity would win out in the end.

It did. Kaiba flicked the top off the box and stared at the mass of pieces.

"This is a puzzle," he said.

"It's a puzzle," Sugoroku agreed. "You see, a puzzle is a different kind of game. There is no winning or losing, except if you give up on it. The only person you can defeat is yourself. To complete a puzzle, you often need help. A second pair of eyes can help, especially with a puzzle of this size, and without a reference picture."

"Are you going to make some 'puzzles are a symbol of unity and friendship' metaphor?" Kaiba said, looking disgusted.

"Not really," Sugoroku said. "But solving this might teach you a thing or two about life being more than a competition, or a game."

He closed the box and pushed it towards Kaiba.

"Solve that," he said. "When you've finished, come back, and maybe I'll tell you what you're looking for."

"I'm not here for a silly game!" Kaiba said, dropping the box onto the counter. "Tell me – did Pegasus remake the fourth Blue Eyes for you? Does the fourth Blue Eyes still exist?"

Sugoroku had already turned around.

"A spirit has to go somewhere," he said. "Solve the puzzle, Kaiba. Then come back."

He knew Kaiba stood there, glaring at him for at least another full minute. Then he turned with an angry flick of his suit coat and stormed from the shop.

_You can't change that prick, Sugoroku, _the soft hissing voice said from the corner.

"Oh, I don't know," Sugoroku said, pretending to dust as the tiny, semi-transparent Blue Eyes White Dragon crawled from her box and onto his shoulder. She settled onto his shoulder, claws digging into the cloth of his overalls.

_Once a prick, always a prick,_ she said.

"You just haven't forgiven him for tearing up your last card. It's time to let go, Ryuni. You can't stay angry forever."

She snorted, letting out a flurry of blue sparks as if to say, 'oh yes I can stay angry forever.'

_You're wasting your time with him, Sugoroku. He's nothing like you. He'll just stay an obnoxious brat for the rest of his life._

"Hm," Sugoroku said, turning back to the table and starting to dust that. "I'm not sure. He took the puzzle, after all."

_That won't change his mind._

"He'll come around, I think. After all, he doesn't like to give up. Even if it means asking for a second pair of eyes to complete the puzzle."

A/N: This is one of the grossest pairings ever invented, but I enjoyed writing this scene between the two of them. I wonder if Seto will finish the puzzle... :) I'll let you, my wonderful readers decide that for yourselves. I also got to add my character Ryuni, the fourth Blue Eyes White Dragon into the story. :D I was sad cause I had to cut her from my other Yu-Gi-Oh fanfiction, so I quite sneakily decided to add her in here. Next up is Trackshipping (Yami no Bakura x Shadi). Creepy...but strangely intriguing...this will be an interesting scene...


	41. Trackshipping

_Trackshipping (Yami no Bakura x Shadi)_

The Egyptian sun hung low in the sky, as red as a perfectly round drop of blood in the midst of an orange and pink sky. Hm... Bakura rather liked that gory metaphor.

But despite the amusement with words that the sun provided him, he couldn't help but be anxious for the light to sink and leave him in his comforting shadows. After all, sneaking into the Chamber of Souls, at the very heart of his dear town of Kul Elna that practically swarmed with descendents of the Millennium Guardians did not appear an easy task. He ticked off all the eyes he must avoid in his head: in particular a pair of impassive, orange eyes...

"You came much earlier than I expected."

Bakura cursed under his breath, raging mentally against the remaining rays of light that betrayed his shock. Composing himself, he turned to face the owner of the voice, already knowing its source.

Shadi stared impassively out at him, his deep, pupil-less orange eyes a mask over whatever secrets or emotions he hid underneath. The soft, almost boyish features betrayed the power that radiated inside of him, hidden under the folds of his turban and shapeless, canvas-white robes. However, the Millennium Key at his chest betrayed his true strength – to Bakura, at least.

Bakura listed to himself all of the weapons he could have concealed in the long white robe, but if he knew Shadi as well as he thought he did, then the Egyptian boy would be unarmed, believing in the power of the Millennium Key to defend himself.

Fool.

Bakura leaned nonchalantly against the building behind him.

"Tell me," he said. "How did you know?"

Shadi shrugged, the folds of his robe shifting like sand dunes.

"Once a tomb robber, always a tomb robber," he said, in his strange, breathy voice. "You couldn't stay away from Kul Elna if you tried."

Bakura smiled slightly, trying to hide his irritation at Shadi's perceptiveness.

"Well, you got me," he said, mock bowing. "And what do you plan to do about my presence, hm?"

Orange eyes snapped to violet. And instantly, the battle begun.

To a casual observer, it would look like a staring match. But on the spiritual and mental planes, two powerful wills clashed in a deadly battle – soul to soul, shadows to shadows, Millennium Item to Millennium Item. Both minds twisting, turning, sending flurries of thought to batter at the defenses of the other. The whole exchange took mere seconds, though to those involved, it felt like days.

Shadi backed down first, withdrawing into the fortress of his mind. Bakura chose not to pursue him, wary of what would happen if he took the battle into Shadi's home field. Still, he could not suppress his grin – Shadi presented less of a threat than Bakura had feared.

"You have strong defenses," Shadi observed. "Stronger than I realized."

Bakura smirked.

"I have had a few million years worth of practice."

Shadi shifted, a spark of irritation flashing through his eyes.

"Leave here, Bakura. You will not be welcomed here. Kul Elna may shelter tomb robbers, but even _they_ have some code of honor."

"Really, Shadi. If I didn't know any better, I would think that you hadn't forgiven me for letting the Ring go where it wanted."

Shadi's lips pressed together in a thin line, and Bakura grinned. He had Shadi on the defensive now. The Egyptian boy still felt the shame of losing the Ring – of not noticing that Bakura had taken control of fate and forced the Ring to fall into the hands of an archaeologist who had led him to his permanent host.

Their gazes met for another long moment. Again, Shadi backed down first.

He turned with a frustrated snap of his robes.

"I will watch you, Bakura," he said. "Don't test me."

Then, with a quick, determined stride, he vanished around a corner.

Bakura fingered the knife in his back pocket absently. Pity. He had gotten so psyched up to stab someone.

Ah well. He would get his chance later. After all, Shadi couldn't possibly anticipate Bakura's real plan. Only an hour remained until the pharaoh's flight arrived, and the real game could begin.

Bakura grinned. He could hardly wait.

A/N: And another one done! Check it off the list! :D I have a secret to tell you guys: I wrote this entire story with a technique called E-Prime, which means I didn't use a single form of "to be" (excluding this author's note, of course). Let me tell you, that is HARD! And some people actually write entire novels like that, and try to talk like that too! Think about it: you can't use am, is, are, were, was, been, being, become, be...those are a lot of important-looking words. I don't think I'll ever try this technique again (or at least anytime soon) but it sure was interesting! Maybe I'll write the next oneshot in metric prose. X3 Next up is Towershipping (Yami no Marik x Kaiba x Jonouchi). ...on second thought, maybe I'll save the metric prose for Thiefshipping...


	42. Towershipping

_Towershipping (Yami no Marik x Jonouchi x Kaiba)_

There was a single reason why the three of them were there.

His name was Yugi Mutou.

One wanted to kill him.

One wanted to best him.

One was only there to support him.

But for each to accomplish their tasks, they had to face each other. Each of them believed themselves ready. But each of them made the same, terrible mistake.

They underestimated the others.

The one with maniacal violet eyes could not see through his bloodlust. In his barely concealed frenzy, he could not see past his fantasy of seeing Yugi Mutou die. His opponents were mere building block towers in the way, to be flicked over with ease. But that careless confidence was his undoing, when the one with fiery spirit in his brown eyes struck without warning.

The one with the fiery spirit told himself he was here for Yugi. He told himself that he was here only to assist his best friend. He promised himself to try his absolute hardest on his own. But he ignored his real motives: his need to prove himself. His insatiable hunger for some measure of recognition. He was here for Yugi – but he was also here for himself. He used all his power to choose his opponent, believing blindly in his own abilities and his dreams of success – and though with his fire he got the match he wanted, he was still the first to fall.

The last of the trio, the one with blue eyes that spoke of times long forgotten, times even he suppressed, thought himself above them all. Only Yugi was worth his best. Only Yugi was worthy to be his opponent. He would regain his former titles, become the king of the game, and more importantly, king of the gods themselves. His opponents were only chess pieces in the way of the king, not fit to be considered. Pride came before his fall: though he gained the opponent he sought, he was the next to drop.

Only a single thread binds these immensely different souls: and that thread is their disregard for each other.

Each had their eyes on what they wanted.

And each one lost it because they refused to see the obstacles for what they were.

A/N: Very abstract-ish. I enjoyed it, though. Next is Tourneyshipping (Yami no Yugi x Haga).


	43. Tourneyshipping

_Tourneyshipping (Yami no Yugi x Haga)_

_(what if even Haga had a secret, noble reason for being at Duelist Kingdom?)_

This was it. This was his moment. It had been a long, hard climb, but now, he was sitting on the brink of ultimate victory.

He could already see his name sprouting up all over the Internet – "did you hear? Somebody beat Yugi, the kid that beat national champion Kaiba! It was Insector Haga! Man, is he awesome!"

No longer was he the weird kid in the corner of the classroom, flipping through the pages of Eyewitness Insect. No longer would he be the one everybody whispered about behind his back, the one who got tripped in the hallways, the one who was always the last person picked for teams in gym. Not "that weird bug kid" but "Insector Haga, the Legendary Bug Duelist!"

Yugi took his place on the other side of the table, eyes flashing red and intense. Hm...had his eyes been that color before? Must be contacts.

"You're despicable, Haga," Yugi said softly, a strange new edge to his voice. "I will make you pay for those cards you so unfeelingly threw away."

Haga shrugged, shuffling his deck.

"The futile words of the losers," he snickered. "Real duelists have to do what they must to win. Without Exodia, you don't have a chance. And anyway, it was only a few slips of paper, so no use crying over them, eh?"

Yugi's red eyes remained level, not dropping Haga's gaze even as he shuffled his deck with precise fingers. He drew his first five cards silently, and Haga grinned to himself. The famous Yugi Mutou had no comeback for him. This battle was already half won!

"Real duelists rely on their hearts to win, Haga," Yugi said suddenly. "And cards are more than slips of paper. Any object can be imbued with sentiment, and, it so follows, a soul of its own."

He said something else, but Haga didn't quite catch it.

"What was that?" he said.

Yugi shook his head, and played his first card. Then there was only the duel, and Haga did not allow himself to think of anything else. This battle was the last step in his journey to become number one – and with Yugi putting his life at stake in this battle, it couldn't get more intense!

He couldn't contain his excitement, couldn't deny the exhilaration pumping through his veins.

Perhaps if he had, he might have been more careful.

And then he might have won.

The mist fell thickly over the board, the moth and demon becoming mere shadows in its midst.

"It's over, Haga," Yugi.

No – wait – there was no way –

"Summoned Skull, finish off his moth!"

The lightning crackled cross the board, so life-like that Haga could _feel_ the static running through the Battle Box. His cards dropped from his hands as the lightning shocked through his moth, sending it tumbling to the ground before the holograph faded.

"My – my moth," was all he could say. "You – Yugi, you –"

Yugi was already standing up, collecting the star chips Haga had left on the table.

"There's – there's no way!" Haga said, feeling a hint of tears in his eyes that he tried desperately to hide. "_I _was the one that was supposed to win! I was going to be the champion – I was – I was –"

Yugi's fire red eyes were unreadable, meeting Haga's with a calmness that made Haga even angrier.

"Stop that – STOP THAT! Stop looking at me like I'm something to be pitied!"

"Then stop acting like something that should be," Yugi said.

Haga gritted his teeth, trying to hold back his angry words – anything to make Yugi stop looking at him like that.

"Haga," Yugi said. "At the beginning of the duel, I told you that cards are more than slips of paper. But what you didn't hear is that I thought you, of all people, would most understand that."

He took the forgotten Great Moth card from the table and held it out to Haga. Surprised, Haga took his card back. He couldn't hide the trembling in his fingers as he realized what Yugi was saying.

"Y-Yugi – how did you – "

Yugi looked almost sad.

"I told you," he said. "Anything can have sentiment, can grow a soul. I only heard what it was telling me."

His red eyes met Haga's for a brief moment longer before he turned and exited the Battle Box.

Haga didn't leave his seat for a few moments, staring at the card in his hand. There was no way, no possible way that Yugi could know who had given this card. There was no way that Yugi could know the real reason Haga wanted to win this tournament, why he needed that prize money.

No one, not even the media that had started following him after winning the regional tournament, knew about his mother, who had given him this card after he had brought a luna moth to her in the hospital...just before she died.

He gripped the card a little tighter, and for a minute, he almost thought he heard something from it. A whisper, nothing more...maybe he had imagined it.

_Okay, _he thought. _I'll find another way to donate to that cancer fund._

The card whispered again to him, and this time, he knew he had heard it.

A/N: geez, my hatred from Haga has turned into full-out ohmigosh-he's-so-sweet-and-sad-I-want-to-hug-him love. So much so that I feel that I have really, really strayed from canon in this story just to show how sweet I think he actually is. :) Okay, next up is Toughshipping (Bandit Keith x Jonouchi). Sigh.


	44. Toughshipping

_Toughshipping (Bandit Keith x Jonouchi)_

They never would have been able to guess at how alike they really were. But to the trained eye, or rather, to an eye that could see far beyond human capabilities, it was obvious that the similarities were just as staggering as the differences.

"Bandit" Keith Howard sat at one side of the table, practically sprawled back against his chair in the epitome of ease. But his soul roiled inside of him, a thick mass of black, slimy stuff that bubbled with barely constrained rage, a trashy substance that materialized in the form of casual swears.

Katsuya Jonouchi sat at the other side, shoulders rising and falling a little too quickly after his run to find the card he needed to participate in the game. He, on the other hand, sat straight and tall, brown eyes hard and determined. His grip on his cards was tight, but not tense. Within him, his soul crackled and burned, a white-hot fire that burned the hottest blue at its center. That flame crackled all through him, but only really visible in his burning eyes.

Threads grew from each of them, trailing off into the distant past. Unlike their souls, their black, sometimes rotted and fraying threads were very similar.

Keith's threads led back to a smoggy American city, where he escaped the confines of an apartment with an alcoholic father to stalk the streets, smoking cigarettes and picking fights. They led to brief moments of happiness, watching a pretty girl from afar, then to terrible nights arguing and fighting with a drunken father until finally, freedom, in the form of a sports scholarship. But old habits died hard, and competitiveness deepened into obsession, and the scholarship was lost when cheating and steroid use was discovered. Darkness overtook him, sending him downwards into a spiral of alcohol and brawls that left him battered, sprawling in an alleyway in a drunken mess thinking only of revenge.

Jonouchi's threads led backwards to brief days of happiness until a messy divorce, where he, too, spent his nights avoiding strikes from an alcoholic father and escaping into the city alleyways, picking fights, getting into trouble, smoking and drinking and brawling because nothing really mattered, and there was no point in reaching any higher. He could have fallen into the same spiral as Keith, just as easily, or even more easily. Why, then, the difference in their souls? Surely the distance of age could not mean so much. Perhaps Jonouchi could still follow that path.

But he would not. His threads had turned golden towards the ends, strong and straight.

Why, then? Why the difference?

One let it all go. The other saw what he was missing, and decided to grab it and never let go.

Perhaps if Keith had also had a friend to stand up for him, or someone to fight for, he would not have fallen. But he ignored the hands offered him. He thought he could fight on his own. Jonouchi knew those hands, the ones with the smiley face drawn across them, were the only things holding him from the edge.

And he decided to grab them.

A/N: Really, I can see Keith having a similar childhood to Jonouchi. Jonouchi lives alone with his alcoholic father and gets into fights all the time, and Keith is an alcoholic and a thug. Still, it all comes down to the choices and the chances, I guess. And on that cliché note, we'll continue on: next is Tornshipping (Yami no Bakura x Ryo x Marik). :D I'm gonna like this one.


	45. Tornshipping

_Tornshipping (Yami no Bakura x Ryo x Marik)_

It felt as though something hung in the air, low and thick, but invisible. It could easily be as bad as smog, as neutral as mist, or as good as a nostalgic scent. Maybe Marik was only imagining it. After all, he was a little over excited, having heard from Ishizu that the pharaoh was finally coming to Egypt. It was probably just the excitement that created the mood.

But that fragile hope shattered the moment he saw Ryo Bakura walking down the street.

He didn't think: he just leapt up from his desk, ran down the hall and out the door, without a word to Ishizu and Rishid. They weren't paying attention anyway, he was sure.

"Bakura!" he called. "Bakura, is that you? What are you doing here?"

The white haired boy paused, looking a bit dizzy. He turned around to face Marik. There were deep circles under his dull green eyes, which suddenly sparked when he saw Marik.

"Marik?" he said cautiously. "Is that you?"

"The one and only," Marik said, coming to a stop in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

The boy's green eyes slid off of Marik's gaze, and Marik suddenly regretted calling out to him. He thought ruefully that the only real contact he had ever had with this half of Bakura was when he was pretending to protect him. When he had brainwashed him into believing they were friends. Bakura must have been thinking the same thing, because an awkward silence followed.

"I...I haven't talked to anyone from Domino in a really long time, that's all," Marik said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was really surprised to see you."

"Yeah..." Bakura said. "I...Marik...where exactly...am I?"

"Huh? You're in Luxor."

"Luxor?" Bakura said, looking confused.

Marik's brow furrowed.

"Yeah. Luxor. As in Luxor, Egypt, right across the Nile from the Valley of the Kings. Bakura, I thought you were into archeology. Don't you know where Luxor is? And anyway, how do you know know where you are? You had fly in here, right? That's not something you do without knowing about it."

As Marik continued to talk, Bakura's eyes got wider and wider. Marik's voice trailed off. He chewed on the inside of his cheek for a minute, and when Bakura's expression quickly changed into one of horror, he couldn't hold back his question.

"Bakura...are you...okay?"

"No," Bakura said hoarsely. "No, not at all. How – how could I have let him control for so long...?"

Then pain flashed across his face, and he collapsed, eyes wide and terrified. Marik tensed, dropping down next to him.

"Bakura! Bakura! Ryo! What's happening – are you okay?"

Bakura grabbed at his arm.

"Marik, he's trying to take control – I can't stop him – please, help me –"

Then green eyes turned to purple, and in a blur of motion, Marik found himself on the ground, iron fingers digging into his neck.

"Well, well, well, Marik Ishtar. I don't know what you were thinking, coming straight to me. Thought I had forgotten that you went back on your word, leaving me in the shadows, hm?"

Marik choked, legs spasming. His vision was already blurring, and he pushed blindly against the weight on top of him. Already he could feel the feeling in his fingers going as he clawed for a weak spot –

Then Bakura vanished, and he lay paralyzed on the ground for a moment, gasping greedily for air.

"Marik, I can't hold him back – you have to get out of –"

By the time Marik had recovered enough to roll to his knees, green had flashed to purple again, and this time, he caught the deadly glint of a knife whizzing towards him. He fell out of the way and Bakura's strike went wide. Marik scrambled to his feet and nearly fell over again, still unsteady.

The dark spirit still loomed above him, menacing with his long black coat and deadly purple eyes.

"You can't get away, little traitor," Yami no Bakura said, his voice low and dangerous. "I won't stop until my knife is growing from your heart."

Then the blade shot towards him again in a deadly downwards cut. Almost unconsciously, Marik jerked his arm upwards, as though to deflect the blow. His luck held – the blade glanced off Marik's gold bracelets, sending sparks into the air.

_Sorry, Bakura, _Marik thought.

And in the moment he had gained, he drove his fist into Bakura's stomach. The ancient spirit's eyes bulged with surprise, and he dropped to his knees, gasping.

Purple eyes flickered back into green, and cautiously, Marik knelt down next to Bakura.

"Sorry about that," he said.

"That's – fine," Ryo gasped. "It – knocked – control – back – to me."

Marik held out a hand, and after a moment of regaining his breath, Ryo took it, letting Marik help him back to his feet.

"I'm so sorry," Ryo said, avoiding his gaze. "I...I should go. Before he gets control again."

"I understand," Marik said. He did, of course. Ryo wasn't the only one who had been possessed by an evil spirit, after all, and both of them knew it.

Ryo turned jerkily and started to walk away at a fast, determined pace. Marik swallowed, feeling horrible. Was there nothing he could do to help Ryo? Marik still had nightmares about his loss of control to Yami no Marik. He had defeated his dark half for good, though. Ryo would struggle with himself for control for who knows how long.

Marik swallowed again.

"Ryo!" he said.

Ryo paused, glancing back over his shoulder.

"I...I should have said this a long time ago: I'm sorry, for using you in Battle City," Marik said. He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding Ryo's gaze. "I know, my words probably aren't worth much, but I want you to know. And even if Yami no Bakura tries to kill me...I want you to know...that I will be here for you. I know...I know what it's like."

He didn't meet Ryo's gaze, and Ryo didn't answer him. He only nodded, softly.

But as Ryo hurried away, Marik could feel it: the entwined thread of Yami no Bakura's hatred and Ryo's gratitude.

He hoped he could meet Ryo again, someday.

A/N: This turned more into Angstshipping, really. I apologize, it's the only Yu-Gi-Oh yaoi pairing that I actually support, and it likes to sneak its way into a lot of stuff. X3 But whatever. Next up: Toonshipping (Pegasus x Kaiba). Ugh...for the love of Madoka...


	46. Toonshipping

_Toonshipping (Pegasus x Kaiba)_

"I don't think you can even begin to understand how much I hate you right now," Kaiba said.

From his position in front of the window, Pegasus half smiled, knowing it would irritate the boy. It did – Pegasus could see it in the way Kaiba's knuckles whitened as he gripped his suitcase, the way the lines around his eyes tightened and the cold blue of his eyes went even colder. Pegasus could almost see the thoughts swirling around in the young boy's head. Well, if he had wanted to, he certainly could have peered in and checked to be sure, but he respected the young businessman a little too much to take that advantage.

Yet, anyway.

"I'm shocked, Kaiba-boy," Pegasus said. "That's the first thing you have to say to me? After all this time since we've seen each other? I don't think that's good business sense, do you?"

He swirled his wine glass a few times. There was another thing that irritated Kaiba. It was much too easy to get him riled. But then, that was what made it fun.

"Cut the bullshit, Pegasus," Kaiba said. "You're not exactly the paragon of good business sense yourself – kidnapping my brother? Even I wouldn't have stooped so low."

This made Pegasus pause. He couldn't remember hearing Kaiba swear before. In fact, he recalled hearing from someone that Kaiba had fired someone for dropping an F-bomb because the computer had crashed. Swearing, Kaiba had said, was a loss of control. And it didn't pay to lose control.

Pegasus considered this for a moment, watching Kaiba levelly. The boy stood stock still at the other end of the room, strategically and psychologically putting distance between them. Even in their previous encounters, Pegasus couldn't remember seeing him this tense. More than that, the boy was practically crackling with fury.

He took another sip of his wine, drawing it out to coax another angry outburst from Kaiba.

"Pegasus, you know what I'm here for, so stop playing games," Kaiba snapped. "You kidnapped my brother while I was unconscious, you sorry, cowardly bastard – I want him back."

"Bastard, hm?" Pegasus said. "That's quite harsh. If anyone's the bastard in this room, I'd think it would be you."

Kaiba's eyes widened for the barest hint of a second. Pegasus couldn't hide his smile. He had hit a nerve: poor little Kaiba had been hurt more by the loss of his parents than he pretended.

"You –"

"Hm, was that a bit low and crass of me?" Pegasus said. "I suppose it was."

"Let Mokuba go," Kaiba said through gritted teeth.

Pegasus drew in a breath, letting his eye meet Kaiba's. The bangs around his Millennium Eye shifted, and for a moment, Kaiba's expression faltered as it caught the glint of metal behind Pegasus's bangs.

"You know that's not how it works on Duelist Kingdom," Pegasus said softly. "The cards decide everything here. So. A duel, then?"

Pegasus allowed his Millennium Eye to activate, slipping his vision into the spiritual plane. His metal eye's gaze found Kaiba on it's own, and for a brief, blurred moment that seemed much longer than it was, Pegasus drowned in images.

There was young Seto, putting himself in between Mokuba and a boy twice his size. There he was again, switching the pieces on the chessboard while Gozaburo wasn't looking, telling himself it was for Mokuba's sake.

And again the scene changed, Seto Kaiba now, tears bubbling unbidden from his eyes as he drew the knife across his wrist again, realizing that he had made a mistake in choosing this life. Then he was outside, on the balcony – a year had passed, he was taller, and the scars on his wrists had multiplied – shoes had been left behind, neatly side by side at the glass door as he stood on the balcony railing.

A cry – Mokuba? – and then _that man _grabbed the falling Seto by the hair, dragging the flailing and screaming boy back inside, away from the balcony – away from death.

He struggled as the man cuffed him across the head and left him, trembling in a ball on the ground with confused nine-year-old Mokuba sobbing hysterically above him. That moment in his mind when he realized if he was going to survive, he was going to have to stop caring. He was going to stop feeling.

He was in the library now, and Cyndia was kneeling on the floor, dull-eyed as she neatly and methodically sliced the pages from the book in her lap –

Pegasus yanked himself back – those had been his own memories, not Kaiba's.

Seto Kaiba blinked a few times. The boy knew something had happened, and Pegasus knew he was confused why those memories had surfaced after being buried for so long. Pegasus swallowed. He hadn't been expecting that. He had been expecting to find something he could use against Kaiba, throw him off guard in the middle of the duel.

But this...this pain...he had had no idea that Kaiba – no, Seto – had the capability to contain this much pain. And he had been so strong that he had almost looked into Pegasus's mind, bringing memories to the surface that Pegasus had thought he had finally forgotten.

"Right. Let's go out to the tournament room, shall we?" Pegasus said, faking his usual self-confidence. He was used to wearing a mask; despite the shock it was easy to put it back on.

"I want Mokuba back," Seto said.

"Win, and he's all yours, Seto."

Seto tensed for a moment. Then he stepped to the side of the door, met Pegasus with level eyes, and said,

"After you."

Pegasus laughed, but it was hollow.

"Worried I booby trapped the hall, Seto? Very well, if it makes you feel better."

And as he passed by Seto, he felt a chill go through him.

It was only then that he realized Seto really did know what had happened in that moment, and he knew what Pegasus had seen.

It was not like Pegasus to worry, to regret, to second guess. But as he moved towards this duel, it was difficult, if not impossible, to stop those unfamiliar feelings.

A/N: Interesting scene, as well as me getting to stick some completely fan-created backstory to the two characters. :D It wasn't really romantic in any sense, and both of them were focused on their own goals rather than on each other, but I think that's how it would go with these two. I made the terrible mistake of reading some Toonshipping for inspiration...and I am now scarred for life. Jeez, I can't believe people _actually_ ship this. Pegasus is like twice Seto's age, for Madoka's sake! That's just gross! Ugh. Anyway, next up is: Tombshipping (Pegasus x Marik). Great, I'll have to use the anime canon instead of the manga canon...


	47. Tipshipping

_Tipshipping (Jonouchi x Yugi x Sugoroku)_

It was a nice, breezy day with a cheerful, not-too-warm sun that was often broken by fast moving, fluffy clouds. Birds were singing, children were playing in the park under the watchful eye of their parents, and the trees and flowers were never so bright and cheerful as they were today.

So, naturally, Yugi and Jonouchi were sitting in the Mutou's dim, dusty game shop playing games.

"I lost again..." Jonouchi groaned, letting his head fall to the table.

"Well, I've had a lot of practice with peg racing games," Yugi said comfortingly.

He shifted the old Egyptian frog game away from Jonouchi's collapse. His grandpa would probably kill him if he knew they were playing around with some of the older games. But the two boys had already worked their way through their usual games, and they had wanted to try something a little different.

"Yeah, and you've also had a lot of practice with fighting games, racing games, puzzle games, role-playing games, even life sim games...I can't beat you at anything! You really are the king of games!"

Yugi couldn't help but laugh.

"That's the pharaoh, and you know it, Jonouchi. I've lost plenty of times!"

"Yeah, but never to me!"

The back door creaked open, and Jonouchi's head shot up. Instantly, Yugi grabbed the old Egyptian game and slipped it under the table into his lap, only moments before his grandfather walked in with a pile of boxes.

"Grandpa! Do you need help with that?" Yugi said.

Jonouchi half stood, intending to help him, but Sugoroku hmphed, and set the boxes down before the blond boy could do anything. He stood up and wiped at his brow.

"Hoo wee," he said. "Your mother's going on quite the cleaning spree upstairs, Yugi."

"Again?" Yugi said, jumping up and nearly losing the peg game before snagging it and putting it back on the table. "She hasn't gotten to my room yet, has she? She keeps threatening to get rid of my Duel Monsters binders if I don't clean my room!"

"Don't worry, don't worry," Sugoroku said, grinning. "I've already headed her off of your room. And mine, for that matter. I told her I'd take care of it."

"And she believed you?" Yugi said.

Sugoroku guffawed for a moment. Once he had recovered himself, he wandered over to the table.

"Ah, getting into my artifacts stash, huh? You boys must have been bored."

Yugi's face flushed as he remembered he hadn't hidden the game.

"Sorry, grandpa...mom shooed us out here so we couldn't play video games," he said.

"I asked him to get this one out," Jonouchi said, sitting back down. "I thought maybe I could win at this one."

"Hah! Yugi keeps beating you, does he? Well, he did learn from the best!"

Sugoroku ruffled his grandson's hair, and Yugi blushed deeper.

"Grandpa..."

"Hey, I learned some stuff from you too!" Jonouchi protested.

Sugoroku just grinned and pulled a chair up to the table, sitting down.

"I think I have a few minutes before your mother comes looking for me," he said to Yugi.

He pushed the game back to the center of the table.

"Ah, that's where you were going wrong, Jonouchi," Sugoroku said, examining the pieces. "See here, you should have moved your peg here, and you would have been open to fill these spaces, see? You let Yugi box you in."

"Really?" Jonouchi said, leaning forward. "How'd you see that? I totally missed it!"

"Well, an old man like me ought to know a few things by now," Sugoroku said. "Go on, you boys restart, and I'll take a look at how you're strategizing."

Jonouchi took his pegs out and replaced them at the beginning corners, trying to hide the look on his face that said he had absolutely no idea there was a strategy to peg racing games. Yugi followed suit, though he looked a little bit happier.

"All right, Jonouchi, you go first," Sugoroku said. "Oh – see there, that was the first mistake! You're not giving yourself enough room! Look, Yugi's already boxed you in there. Take a look at this formation here – no, no, no, don't move your peg there. Here's a better spot. Oh, Yugi, I ought to be ashamed of you – that move was not well thought out! See, look, you let Jonouchi get the advantage there. Good, good, both of you, you're really competing now! All right, Jonouchi, try this formation out –"

"Oh, _tou-san_!"

The three gamers jumped almost at once. In the doorway stood Yugi's mom, hands on her hips and looking very cross.

"I thought I asked you to take these boxes to the curb, tou-san!" Yugi's mother said, throwing up her hands in exasperation. "And you said you were going to help with the bathrooms, didn't you? And you, Yugi, Jonouchi, it's a beautiful day outside! Go on, shoo, shoo! Life's too short to spend inside – you'll be doing it more than you want to when you're my age!"

Yugi hurriedly swept the game off the table and scurried to the shelves, while Jonouchi sheepishly jumped out the seat as though it was hot and hurried to stand by the door to wait for Yugi. The much shorter boy hurried over to his friend, only half-listening to his mother's still-constant scolding. Both boys glanced over their shoulders at Grandpa Mutou before they stepped outside.

He caught their gazes, grinned, and put a finger to his nose conspiratorially.

_The park, five minutes,_ he mouthed while Yugi's mother's back was turned.

The boys grinned, and hurried outside into the sunlight.

A/N: Wow, it's been so long since I posted! Life has been getting so in the way lately, what with crazy last-minute Halloween costumes and college applications and such. Don't worry though, now I have a schedule, and I'm ready to start posting regularly! You can check my profile page if you want to see the update schedule. Yeah, we'll see how long I last before it falls off the track...all right, next up is Timidshipping (Yugi x Shizuka). Dude, I'm excited for this one. :3


	48. Timidshipping

_Timidshipping (Shizuka x Yugi)_

"Hey, Shizuka, I'm here!"

Shizuka looked up from her book of fairy tales as her older brother padded into the room, tossing his bookbag on the table.

"Hi, Katsuya," she said. "How was the trip?"

"Eh. Same old, same old. How about you, Zuka? Feeling any better?"

Shizuka carefully placed her bookmark into her book and closed it, laying it across her blanketed legs. Katsuya padded over and put his hand to her forehead.

"My fever's gone down, so I think I'll be okay," Shizuka said. "Thanks so much for coming to take care of me."

Katsuya ruffled her hair, grinning. He had

"I can't leave my sick little sister to fend for herself while mom's on a business trip, now can I? Oh, by the way, Shizuka, it is okay that Yugi came along, right?"

Shizuka felt her face heat up, but it had nothing to do with the fever.

"Oh, uh, well mom did say you could bring your friends along so, uh, of course not!"

Katsuya's brow wrinkled and he felt her forehead again.

"You sure you're okay? You're feeling hot again."

"Oh, I'm fine! W-where is Yugi now?"

"Oh, I asked him if he could grab some food stuff. I didn't want to wait any longer to check up on you."

The doorbell rang one long, clear note.

"That'll be him," Katsuya said.

He stood up and his knees cracked loudly. Shizuka winced at the sound, even though she knew her brother probably hadn't felt a thing. The door opened with a soft creak – oh, she had forgotten to oil that hinge – and after a moment or two, Katsuya reappeared with Yugi at his side. The shorter boy had a pair of shopping bags hanging from one arm and wore that familiar bright, warm smile Shizuka remembered from the card game tournament.

"Hi, Shizuka-chan!" Yugi said brightly. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Uh…yeah," Shizuka said. "How are you, Yugi-kun?"

"Good! Are you really okay, though? You're looking a bit red."

"I, uh, it's nothing. Just a little fever. It's going down; I think I'll be fine before tomorrow."

"Hmph," said Katsuya, feeling her forehead again. "If you say so. But I'm gonna make you some soup, okay? You keep resting. Here Yug, I'll take those bags off your hands."

Yugi handed him the bags, and Katsuya headed towards the kitchen.

"Need any help, Jonouchi?" Yugi asked.

"Nah. I'm actually a pretty good cook, believe it or not."

And then suddenly, it was just Shizuka and Yugi.

Shizuka swallowed. Her fingers edged toward her book, as though it could help her disappear from the room. Maybe Yugi would be just as shy as she was, and she wouldn't have to try to talk…

No such luck. Yugi plopped down at the table beside the couch, looking cheerful.

"It's been such a long time since I've seen you, Shizuka," he said. "How have you been? I mean, before the cold and all."

"Oh…fine…" Shizuka said, barely able to speak above a whisper. "What…what about you?"

If Yugi noticed her shyness, he didn't show it.

"I've been fine too. Things have been getting a little crazy, but I guess that's how life works, right?"

"Uh…yeah…"

Oh, what was wrong with her? She had known that Yugi was coming! Forget it, she knew what was wrong with her: she had a major crush on Yugi. Ever since Battle City, and she had seen him and her brother messing around, and his big, bright smile and warm, violet eyes, and then that strong, confident walk as he had climbed up into the stadium… But Yugi was so, so strong and confident, she could never expect him to look at her twice. She was just a quiet, unassertive bookworm who read and reread children's fairy tales.

"Oh, uh, Shizuka-chan…are these yours?"

Shizuka looked up from her lap and saw that Yugi was flicking through the small pile of Duel Monsters cards on the table. She blushed even deeper.

"Oh…yes…" she said.

"I thought so. I didn't think Jonouchi would have Tethys the Goddess of Light!" Yugi laughed. "Do you play?"

"Not really," Shizuka mumbled. "I mean…I watched the tournament, and so I thought I'd get a few cards… I don't really even know how to play…"

Yugi flicked through the cards one more time, his tongue half out. It was kind of cute. Then he set the cards back down and reached for his bag, ruffling through it. After a moment, he drew out his own pile of Duel Monsters cards.

"While your brother is making the soup, why don't I teach you how to play?" Yugi said.

Shizuka flushed.

"Oh, no…I couldn't…I mean…I don't think I even have enough cards to make a deck…"

"You're only one short. I counted," Yugi said, digging into his bag again. "Here, I have a couple that aren't in my deck. How about this one?"

He pulled out a shiny, silvery card depicting a tall, armor-clad lady with long silver hair, bearing a shield and sword.

"This is Athena. I think it'll fit with your fairy deck."

"Oh, no, I can't take your card –"

"It's okay, Shizuka, I don't even use this one. Take it!"

The card shone in his hand, and slowly, face still red, Shizuka accepted it. The little piece of paper was warm from being inside the bag, and the tiniest bit crinkled on the corner.

"Here, I'll move the table closer, so you don't have to get up," Yugi said. "Okay, so first, we have to shuffle our decks!"

Shizuka took one last glance at the beautiful card before she slid it into her deck and carefully shuffled. She could still see the small crinkle towards the middle of the deck.

Yugi's eyes were bright as always, and Shizuka's cheeks were as warm as ever.

Maybe he'd never know how much that card would mean to her. But the memories she was making here would last forever.

The card would be filled with them.

A/N: Geez…it was hard cranking this out, especially when I have so much other work to do for my English project. But here it is, and I hope it's cute enough to do this pairing justice! They're so adorable! Anyway, I'm gonna go watch My Little Pony now. :D Next up is Timeshipping (Atem x Kaiba).


	49. Timeshipping

_Timeshipping (Atem x Kaiba)_

Yet another dismal, cloudy, so gloomy you just want to throw something day. However, Seto Kaiba was far above such displays of useless anger, so instead he channeled his pent-up frustration with the weather into his current project.

Although, that was probably an even worse idea, as he broke the tiny cog he was trying to fit together. It was the fourth broken piece in the last minute.

With a soft growl in the back of his throat, Seto leaned back in his chair, letting his arms fall to his sides. He wasn't sure why he was even bothering with the old pocket watch. He had plenty of digital clocks to tell him the time and, of course, the clock on his phone, which could remind him of appointments in five different languages.

He turned back to the delicate inner workings – so very different from the wires and blinking lights that made up the inside of his Duel Disk system. Still, it was kind of intriguing. Each gear and cog fit so perfectly, like a puzzle. Cautiously, he flipped it over, looking at its intricate hands, made to look like twisted vines pointing towards calligraphic Roman numerals. The watch's cover was a soft copper-gold, plain but for the thin initials carved into the inside of the cover.

Seto traced the letters for the thousandth time, half embarrassed at his own sentimentality. _From J.K. to S.K._

He couldn't quite remember where he had gotten the pocket watch. He seemed to recall a tall man with a warm smile showing it to him. It could have been his father, for all he knew. He couldn't remember his real parents very well – he had tried to forget them, at the orphanage. It made life a little less harsh. Still, he had never been able to bring himself to get rid of the watch.

He shook his head sharply, erasing the sentimentality. He couldn't lose the control he had gained. Maybe it would be better to forget about the watch – for now, at least. After all, he had plenty of paperwork to attend to. And a duel with Yugi to look forward to later. He would have to prepare for that.

Despite these thoughts, he reached for his tools again.

He turned the watch over again and tried once more to fit yet another cog into the right spot. For a split second, he felt the little piece slide neatly into place – and then it snapped.

An unexpected flash of rage punched through Seto's gut. He was a multimillionaire genius, the man who designed the highly lauded Duel Disk! And he couldn't even fix a simple watch?

He stood with a jerk, and his chair clattered to the floor.

"I ought to just scrap this ancient piece of junk," he said, moving to sweep the clock towards the garbage can.

In the motion, the clock flipped over.

And the hands began to move.

For a moment, Seto's vision blurred, and hot and cold chills ran all across his skin. Then the temperature settled into a thick, oppressive heat.

Sunlight seared at his eyes, and he snapped them shut. Sure, the gloomy weather had been bothering him, but this was insanity!

"Seto? What brings you here? I thought you accompanied Akhenaden to the archives."

Seto forced his eyes open, squinting through the haze of light and heat.

It took every ounce of willpower he had not to jerk back in alarm.

Standing before him was Yugi – but no, not quite. The boy certainly had Yugi's hair, which was hard to believe, but his skin was deeply tanned, and his eyes were a sharp, curious red. He wore a knee length white tunic and sandals. Gold jewelry glinted around his forearms and at his forehead.

"Seto, are you listening?" Yugi said, or was it Yugi? "Are you all right? You look fatigued."

The pseudo-Yugi had an odd, foreign accent that Seto couldn't quite place. The sun was bringing on a pounding headache.

Before he could answer the pseudo-Yugi, the boy's brow furrowed.

"You are not Seto, are you? I only just realized it, but your attributes are not quite the same."

He talked like someone out of a historical film. It would have been amusing if not for the headache.

"My name _is_ Seto," he said. "Seto Kaiba. Don't you know that, Yugi? Or are you playing games again?"

The boy looked confused.

"Yugi? Do I look similar to someone you know? Yugi is certainly not my name."

"Well, then who the hell are you, then?"

The boy straightened, looking annoyed.

"I am Atem, prince of Kemet. And who are you, one that looks like Priest Seto?"

"I told you," Seto snapped. "Seto Kaiba. Now where the hell am I?"

Atem cocked his head slightly, studying Seto with narrowed red eyes. His bearing was so very like Yugi's that it sent a shiver down Seto's spine.

"I sense a hint of magic," Atem said finally. "That golden object in your hand...it must have brought you here, to this time and place. Your aura doesn't belong here."

What the hell kind of voodoo and magic stuff was he talking about? But the mention of the golden object made Seto pause, and he glanced down at his hand. He hadn't realized it, but he was still holding the pocket watch.

"This piece of crap?" Seto said, glaring at it. "It's just a stupid old pocket watch."

"I do not understand that word...'pocketwatch'..." Atem said looking a little confused. "But it has much potential. The power of time, though its store of magic is depleted. You should replenish it soon."

"Replenish it? And how the hell am I supposed to do that?"

Atem shrugged.

"Aren't you a sorcerer? You used it once, you should know how it works. Did your parents not pass on their magic to you?"

Seto blinked.

_He tried to hide the sound of his footsteps, but he kept scuffling across the carpet. The man in the chair paused in his work, looking up into the dark room. His glasses were illuminated eerily in the single spot of light from the desk lamp._

"_Seto? Are you sneaking around again?"_

_He paused, scrunching up on himself as though he could disappear. The man laughed softly, a pleasant sound._

"_You don't have to be sneaky about it. Come here, take a look."_

_He walked tentatively to the desk, peeking up over the top. Gears and cogs were placed across the top, each one carefully organized around the opened golden pocket watch._

"_What's wrong with it?" he said._

"_The winder just needs some tuning," the man said, reaching for his tools. "It needs a bit of replenishing, too."_

"_How do you do that?"_

_The man smiled, clicked one more piece into place, and then screwed the cover back onto the watch._

"_I'll show you," he said, and he reached down and pressed the watch into Seto's tiny hand, folding his son's fingers around it._

Seto jerked out of the reverie. What...had that been his father? Had he really forgotten that? But...what...

"Your enchantment on the object seems to be waning," Atem said. "Are you quite all right, Seto Kaiba?"

Seto's hands trembled.

"I have absolutely no idea what your problem is," he said slowly. "But I don't think I like your superior attitude!"

Atem blinked, looking surprised.

"I'm not here because of some magic spell, this watch doesn't mean anything, and I don't like the thoughts you're making me think of again!" Seto's voice rose into a shout. "I threw away that sentimentality years ago, and I don't have the time to bring it back! I don't have time to get all sappy over my memories or this stupid watch, and I certainly don't have time for this crazy dream!"

He raised his arm above his head and hurled the watch to the ground.

In slow motion, the pocket watch fell. In slow motion, the cover snapped. The back burst open. The gears scattered.

And the watch was broken.

Seto's heart wrenched unexpectedly.

_He was crying on the floor. The watch was broken._

"_It's all right, Seto," his father said, closing his strong, grizzled hands over Seto's. "I'll just teach you how to fix it."_

Seto wrenched the tears back, refusing to let them come.

_Those hands were closing his hands around the pocket watch, still warm with his father's touch..._

Soft hands touched Seto's, and he flinched. But the hand held firm. Slowly, slowly, Atem raised Seto's hand up, turning it over. He opened Seto's clenched fist, and softly pressed the watch into Seto's hand.

It gleamed, unbroken. Like it was brand new.

"I think," Atem said. "That you have plenty of time."

His red eyes met Seto's. The soft but strong hands did not let go.

And Seto woke up, his face pressed uncomfortably on a set of secondhand gears.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat up. His eyes adjusted slowly to the change from the hot desert sun back to the dim lighting of the his desk lamp, and when he finally was able to see again, his heart jumped in his chest. The watch – where was the watch –

His hand cramped painfully and he opened it with a jerk. The watch tumbled into his lap: whole and unbroken. Although, the sheen of the cover seemed a little more copper than gold than before...maybe it was the light.

But Seto wasn't so sure. He picked up the watch and clicked it open, staring at the intricate face and hands. He closed it again – and his heart jumped. The plain gold copper cover now appeared to have an engraving of the pyramids of Giza on the front. The copper coloring was much more prominent, as well.

"_It needs to be replenished..."_

The quiet, yet strong words of that strange boy rang through his mind. He stared down at the watch.

"_I think you have plenty of time."_

The office, his paperwork, and his company were waiting for him. There were things to be done: things that didn't allow for pointless walks through memory lane.

"_I think you have plenty of time."_

Seto blew out once, and let his eyes fall close.

"So, dad," he said softly. "How do you go about 'replenishing' a watch?"

The words spoke to him across time and space, a memory that he had long ago suppressed.

"_It's very simple: all you have to do is wind it."_

A/N: And finally, FINALLY I have attempted to delve into the possible back story of Seto Kaiba. I had fun playing around with the pun of the shipping title too: it's called Timeshipping in reference to the expanse of time between them, but I decided to use a pocket watch. :) Okay, maybe that wasn't as amusing to you guys as it is to me. All that aside, I really had fun seeing Seto with the pocket watch. I was going to start the story with him doing paperwork again, but I'm pretty sure that's been done to death with Kaiba stories. And then I thought, maybe he'd building something, like a duel disk. And then suddenly, there he was fixing the watch. It all fell neatly into place after that. :D Okay, next will be Tiltshipping (Keith x Katsuya x Yugi). Happiness and joy...(note my sarcasm).


	50. Tiltshipping

_Tiltshipping (Keith x Jonouchi x Yugi)_

_(hooray for having no ideas...so I'm gonna use a Figment Daily Theme for inspiration. This was the prompt: __**I used to think _, but now I know _. Fill in the blanks. Then, write about how you came to learn what you now know. **__Let's see how this goes...)_

_I used to think my life was going to be boring, _Yugi thought. _But now I know it's never going to be even close._

The recently turned seventeen-year-old was currently standing awkwardly at the harbor while his best friend Katsuya Jonouchi participated in a shouting match with Bandit Keith Howard, who they had run into by accident while on their way to Anzu's.

Yugi blew out exasperatedly. It was hard to believe that just two years ago he had resigned himself to sitting alone in the back of the classroom, playing games by himself for all eternity. And now, even though all the fighting and Shadow Games were done with, when he should have been readjusting to normality, it seemed like "boring" was something he would never attain. And he had so been looking forward to a boring afternoon spent with his friends, too.

The fight had started when the pair of friends had stumbled across a drunk Bandit Keith on the harbor, looking to pick a fight with just about anyone. Yugi wasn't sure why the American man was back in Japan; in fact, he had thought he had heard that Keith had died almost right after Duelist Kingdom, of a drug overdose.

"Just turn around and get back on that boat, Keith!" Jonouchi shouted. "Nobody wants to see your ugly face!"

"I'd like to rearrange _your_ fashe, Jonouchi," Keith slurred, looking unsteady.

Jonouchi's fists clenched. Yugi grabbed his friend's shoulder.

"Come on, Jonouchi, let's just go," Yugi said. "This isn't worth it. Besides, Anzu's waiting for us."

Jonouchi gritted his teeth and started to turn around. Keith muttered something in English, and Jonouchi's face went bright red.

He whipped back around.

"I know enough English to know what you just called me, you bastard!" Jonouchi said.

Yugi grabbed for Jonouchi's shoulder, but his friend was too fast, and Yugi just barely missed the end of his jacket.

The blond boy swung at Keith, who staggered out of the way with a lopsided grin. Yugi ran forward, jumping back and forth as the two fighters swung at each other.

"Jonouchi! Jonouchi!" he shouted. "Jonouchi, come on, stop –"

Keith's fist connected with Jonouchi's jaw, and the boy stumbled back. It might have been his overactive imagination, but Yugi thought he heard something crack.

Distracted by Jonouchi's predicament, Yugi was unable to react when Keith grabbed his head from behind, yanking him backwards.

"Hey, world champ," Keith said, his alcoholic breath making Yugi choke. "I wonder what Jonouchi'd do if I shnapped your neck –"

The unnaturally loud sound of knuckles connecting with bone cracked the air, and Yugi stumbled forward, freed from Keith's grip.

"Touch my friend again and I'll smash your face in, Keith!" Jonouchi yelled.

Keith grinned and rolled his fingers into fists. As the two fighters went at each other, Yugi sighed and found a cargo box to sit on.

_You'd think I'd be a little jumpier, since I almost just got my neck broken,_ he thought. _Probably I've had so many brushes with death that it doesn't even faze me anymore._

He rested his head on his hands and sighed again. He would just have to wait until the two of them got their fill of beating each other up.

A/N: Kind of an odd way to work this threesome, but I thought Yugi's laid-back perspective of the whole thing was hilarious. Coming up next is Tieshipping (Honda x Miho). Miho was the purple haired girl from Season 0, and she also made an appearance in the manga in one of the earlier chapters, in case someone doesn't know.


	51. Tieshipping

_Tieshipping (Honda x Miho)_

Hiroto Honda checked his appearance for the five billionth time in one of the school windows. Ahead of him, Katsuya Jonouchi glanced back at the brown haired boy, groaned, and stalked back over to grab his shoulder.

"You look fine, Romeo," Jonouchi said. "Let's just get you to the roof where Miho is waiting so we can get this whole stupid business over with."

Hiroto shrugged Jonouchi's hand off, feeling irritated.

"Just wait, you'll fall in love some time," he said. "And then you'll understand what I'm going through."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, let's just _go._"

Hiroto glanced at his reflection one last time, turned beet red, and then hurried to catch up with Jonouchi.

This was it. This was the moment he had been waiting for, when he was finally going to confess his feelings for Ribbon-chan – oh, Miho Nohsaka, right. He would have to remember to call her by her real name instead of her nickname.

Did Miho even know he existed? He both hoped she did and didn't. She was a smart, pretty, friendly girl with straight A's and friends in almost every class. He was a school-skipping, fight-picking delinquent who didn't even wear his uniform right.

He stopped almost stopped again to check to see if all of his buttons were done up, and that his tie was tied correctly. Jonouchi had surprisingly known how to tie a tie, and Hiroto had had to promise to do all of Jonouchi's math homework for the rest of the week to get the blond boy to teach him. Miho's friends had told Yugi that Miho really liked guys who wore ties. He hoped this was good enough; it was just a plain old red tie he had borrowed from his dad.

"Okay, Mr. Lovestruck, we're here," Jonouchi said.

Hiroto blinked. He had hardly realized that they were climbing the stairs, much less at the door that led to the roof. Hiroto glanced at Jonouchi, but before he could say anything, Jonouchi pulled the door open and shoved him outside.

"For the last freaking time, the tie is fine," Jonouchi said. "Now get this over with so I don't have to hear or see you simpering like a dog anymore!"

With that, he snapped the door shut behind him.

Miho Nohsaka looked up from where she had been standing by the fence. The wind picked up her soft lavender hair, pulling at the ponytail and lifting the shiny folds of her yellow ribbon so that it glittered in the sunlight.

Her soft brown eyes were confused, nervous, even.

Hiroto licked his lips, finding that they were dry and chapped.

This was the moment.

A/N: I went really short with that one. ^-^ I wanted to use Miho's manga personality instead of her anime personality, and I don't really know enough about her in the manga to give her much more than a cameo. I mostly wanted to play around with Honda's feelings. :3 Next up is Threadshipping (Yami no Marik x Marik x Strings x Yami no Yugi). Fuuuun. On the bright side, though, the one after that is Thornshipping, and then Thiefshipping! (Ready, PandaTeddyClaws? :3)


	52. Threadshipping

_Threadshipping (Yami no Marik x Marik x Strings x Yami no Yugi)_

_(I used another Figment daily theme: _**_"The curtain rises and our twisted play begins." Use this sentence as the opening of a short story or play that is not set in an actual theater._**_)_

The curtain rises, and our twisted play begins. One at a time, the little puppets move onto the stage, each one believing they came there of their own choosing. Unaware of the threads that push and pull at them.

Of course, I know better.

The first puppet: an empty shell of a creature, withdrawn into itself so deeply that it doesn't have its own thoughts. He is here because he doesn't have a will of his own; he goes where he is told. He is the only one who realizes he is a puppet – although, maybe he barely even realizes that in his emptiness.

He's not really important, except for that little god tucked into his deck of cards.

The second puppet: a boy, held high and proud, eyes burning with strength and confidence. He is much older than his shape implies. He is here because he thinks destiny wills it, because he thinks he has a duty to do.

He's very important, but difficult to reach at the moment. He will die soon.

The third puppet: one that is apart from the scene, one who believes himself to be the puppet master. He is not empty, or filled with fire. Instead, he has a roiling mass of water, filled with distress, anger, hurt, hatred, useless tears and barely suppressed naivety, weaknesses that have no place.

He'll be important, perhaps the most important. Because without him, I can't make blood spill.

And then, of course, there's me. I am the puppet master. They'll never know that I am watching, and waiting, and trying so very hard to keep in my excitement... They'll never know that I was there the whole time...

Until it's too late, of course.

A/N: I feel that Yami no Marik is a very overconfident, arrogant character, who believes that he is control of everything even if he isn't. He would certainly see himself as a master puppeteer, controlling events so that they fall in his favor... though whether he actually has any power at all over events is up for debate. I just decided to play with his perspective.

And coming up next is... (wait for it...) THORNSHIPPING! :D I'm actually excited for this one, although I'm pretty sure I won't like it as much as Vexshipping.


	53. Thornshipping

_Thornshipping (Yami no Marik x Anzu)_

She felt oddly detached from herself, like she was drugged or something. But, she thought vaguely, could people move when they were drugged? She didn't think so, but here she was, walking down the dark hallway of the blimp without telling her body to move forward. Her head buzzed, almost painfully, and she wished she could rub her temples. Of course, her arms wouldn't respond.

What was she doing, anyway? It was dark. Shouldn't she be sleeping?

Wait, she was holding something...it was round and gold, wasn't it? Familiar...but she couldn't think.

At the end of the hallway, a soft footstep heralded the arrival of a tall, ominous shadow. She watched herself stiffen, and then tuck the round golden item around her neck and then under her shirt.

The shadow walked slowly, almost leisurely. Her head looked around for her, and she felt that she was looking for someplace to hide, but she wasn't sure why. She watched herself trying the door beside her, and then the next one, but they were both locked with a keypad and she didn't think she knew the combination.

Then the shadow was standing before her. He stood at ease, unworried. He was taller than her, with a spiky mass of platinum blond hair...it was...oh, she couldn't think through the buzzing, what was wrong with her?

"Sneaking around, are we?" he said in a grating, unnatural voice. "To what purpose, I wonder?"

She heard her own voice speaking, but she wasn't saying anything.

"Stay back. I'm warning you."

The figure laughed softly, and it sent a shiver through what consciousness she had.

"With what, my dear little weaker half?" he said. "All you have is the body of a girl that's probably never seen combat in her life. Whereas I..."

The round, horned head of the golden rod glinted through the darkness. He stepped closer, twirling the rod in his fingers.

"How sad," he sneered, his face a little clearer: tan, with crazed purple eyes and a maniacal smile. "You've sunk so low. Possessing a helpless little girl, because you don't have any other options. You can't stop me."

"Try me," she heard herself say, and even she could hear the shake in her own voice.

He reached out, tracing the horn of the golden rod across her cheek. She flinched, and this time, she was aware of causing the action.

"You don't have any power," he said quietly. "Let me show you, just so you understand."

The eye on the rod glinted, and a cry sounded in her mind.

Then suddenly, she was back to herself, blinking and dizzy. All of her limbs felt heavy, asleep and tingling. Her memories jolted back faster than her motor control – this was Marik she was staring at, and that was the Millennium Rod he was holding in her face.

With a barely muffled yelp, she scrambled backwards and nearly fell. Marik's lips flicked into an eerie grin.

"Welcome back, Anzu Mazaki," he sneered. "Surprised?"

Anzu fought back the urge to scream. That was what he wanted – he wanted her to be terrified. Well, she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

She straightened her back and clenched her fists at her sides.

"Get away from me," she said. "I don't want anything to do with you."

Marik's grin flashed wider.

"Ah, what a sweet little lamb, pretending not to be scared," he said, coming closer.

Anzu stepped back.

"I'm _not_ scared of you."

Marik chuckled. This time, when he stepped forward and Anzu stepped back, she found herself pressed against the wall. Terror flashed through her and it took a minute to get it back under control. She tried to sidestep to get back into the free space of the hallway, but Marik's free hand snapped out to block her passage.

"Going so soon, little lamb?" he said. "It's not nice to leave in the middle of the conversation."

"We're not having a conversation," Anzu said, trying desperately to keep herself from trembling. He was standing close – too close! "You – you don't have anything to do with me. The pharaoh is the one that you want to fight. I – I'm just –"

His face moved into hers, and she could feel his breath on her face.

"Just an innocent bystander?" he said softly, grinning. "Ah yes...but you're a bystander that the pharaoh seems to like...and one that my weaker half has a connection to."

Somehow, while Anzu hadn't been looking, he had unsheathed a knife from inside of the Millennium Rod. Slowly, slowly, he traced the tip down her cheek. She froze.

"Ah," he said. "Now, that's the look of terror I was hoping to see on your face."

He smirked as he started to run the knife across her neck. Anzu's heart pounded wildly, sending her head into a whirl of terror.

"I saw you earlier on the blimp," he said. "And your eyes...once I took control, there was just this look in your eyes. Fire and strength; and anger. I didn't like that very much, you know."

Anzu swallowed. The knife was traveled up her face again.

"I wanted to know how you would look scared," he said. "I have to say, I like it much better."

Then, without warning, his lips pressed against hers. Anzu jerked back, hitting her head against the wall, trying to escape his searching tongue –

In a wild jerk, she flailed her arm at his face, and kicked out – her foot connected with his groin and the kiss ended abruptly. He stumbled back.

Anzu didn't need any more invitation. She just ran.

His laugh followed her, echoing down the hall, increasing her speed even more –

But he didn't follow her. He didn't have to.

Because she would never be free of the terrible memories of him...

A/N: Soooo creepy! :D Poor Anzu, getting abused. Hopefully there's a better pairing for her coming up soon. Just as I suspected, I didn't like this one as much as Vexshipping, though it was intriguing. I don't know, I just like the dynamic of Bakura and Anzu better than Marik. Maybe it's because Bakura is much more calculating than Marik, and Marik's strategy is just pure terror. Well, next up is Thiefshipping (Marik x Yami no Bakura); I feel like a lot of people are excited for this one.


	54. Thiefshipping

_Thiefshipping (Yami no Bakura x Marik Ishtar)_

_(I suck at writing slash pairings. But I will do my best.)_

Waking up was an unpleasant experience. A throbbing head, dry mouth, and the world spinning as he turned his head – he couldn't remember the last time he had had to deal with such sensations. It was over three thousand years, now.

"Are you sufficiently awake?"

The female voice was tight, clipped, and very unnatural, as though her throat were constricted. Yami no Bakura turned his head to the voice without getting up. Anzu sat beside his bed, hands folded in her lap, and eyes dull and empty.

"Marik," he acknowledged, sitting up. "Since when do we do business through your mind slaves?"

"Since the situation called for it," Marik-possessed Anzu said. "I am...a bit challenged, at the moment. My darker half has taken control of my body."

"And so, I have to deal with Anzu, then," Bakura said. "Well, I can't say I'm _too_ disappointed."

Marik glared at him with Anzu's eyes. Bakura just grinned. Marik was just so touchy; it was amusing to watch him get worked up over Bakura's words. The better to manipulate the Egyptian boy.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Bakura. I'm going to need your help. Now that you're awake, would you be so kind as to allow me to switch from Anzu's mind to yours? It will be easier to talk when I'm not limited to this feminine body."

Bakura let a smile grow across his face.

"I had no idea you wanted to be inside me so badly, Marik," he said, quite enjoying the shocked and uncomfortable look that passed across Marik-Anzu's face.

"You –" Marik said.

Bakura laughed, cutting him off.

"You won't get far if such a small thing can fluster you so badly," Bakura said. "Go ahead; don't mind my foolery. Switch minds."

After one last glare, Anzu's eyes fluttered shut, and she slumped into her chair. The ticklish feeling of Marik's consciousness filtered into Bakura's mind, like an itch at the back of his brain. An ethereal shape formed at the foot of the bed, and all Bakura had to do was shift his eyes into the spiritual plane to see the ghostly form of Marik Ishtar.

The bronze-skinned boy sat at the foot of the bed, or at least, his projection did. His arms were folded across his chest, golden bracelets gleaming, and shoulder length platinum blond hair dropped neatly over his sharp, violet eyes.

_He thinks he's in control,_ Bakura said. _A pity that I'll have to correct him eventually. He's so very entertaining._

_"So, are you quite ready to continue this conversation?" _Marik said.

"Of course, of course," Bakura said smoothly. "You needn't get your pretty little head in a flutter. I am here to help, so long as the proper price still holds...?"

_"The Millennium Rod is yours if you help my destroy my other half,"_ Marik said, eyes narrowing at Bakura's jab. _"That has not changed."_

Bakura stood, grinning. Perhaps there was something in his smile, but he caught the barest glimpse of a shudder passing across Marik's face.

"Then, let us be off," Bakura said. "Wouldn't want to wait too long to rescue the damsel in distress."

Marik glared at him, irritated.

_"You had better stop toying with me, Bakura."_

Bakura glanced back over his shoulder, sending Marik a dark, easy smile.

"Or what...little Marik?"

The flicker of apprehension in Marik's eyes made Bakura smile even wider, and, on that note, he slipped into the darkened hallway.

A/N: I like this pairing a lot, but what I hate about yaoi pairings is that, overall, they tend to be way more sexual and erotic than het pairings. I have nothing against same sex relationships, but I just hate that the fans try to portray them so erotically. I wouldn't think it was right for a het pairing, so I wouldn't think it was appropriate for a slash pairing either. Anyway, this one ended up bordering on the erotic, despite my hopes it wouldn't. It's just so hard to keep them in character and follow the pairing at the same time. But I enjoy it when Bakura messes with people heads. It seems like his major hobby. X3 Next up is Tendershipping (Yami no Bakura x Ryo), another popular slash pairing. I used to like that one...not anymore, though. Oh well, we'll see what I can do...


	55. Tendershipping

_Tendershipping (Yami no Bakura x Ryo)_

He was _always_ on my mind.

And I don't mean that in a romantic way.

I mean he was always, _literally_ inside my mind. Not a day went by when I couldn't hear his smooth, scheming voice echoing in my head, reminding me that I was never alone, that nothing that I thought was private, and that he could take control at any time.

I hated him. I tried my best to hide it, but I knew that he knew. And he thought it was funny, the way I would try to fight him when he wanted control. The way that I would try to hide my thoughts. He could have easily tried to kill my consciousness and retain control forever. But he thought it was amusing how helpless I was; I think that's the only reason I survived.

Some days were worst than others: like the day he told me what really happened on the day of the accident. I guess I had been a little too troublesome when he attempted to take control that day.

_"Remember your tenth birthday?" _he had whispered in my mind. _"Remember the day your sister gave you the Ring?"_

Like I could ever forget.

_"Remember the accident? I thought you were too happy. Too mentally strong to control as a host, but just right for me all the same. So I broke you."_

I hadn't wanted to believe what I was hearing.

_"That deer? Oh, that wasn't really a deer. I'm good at making people think they see things."_

I had ripped the Ring off and flung it out the window before he had finished talking. But by then he was attached to me, and he was not pleased that I had tried to destroy his source of power.

I still have ghost pains from that day.

It's been years since that final, blessed day when I could no longer hear his voice, when the weight of the Ring no longer bent me down. It's been years since I felt his acid presence.

And yet...not a day goes by when I don't remember him.

I guess his hold on me was stronger than I admitted.

A/N: short and sweet, but gets the point across about how I view this pairing. :P I thought it was cute for a while, after reading some fanfiction about it, but then...when I really thought about it...I realized that Yami no Bakura was a sadistic, cruel, and manipulative character that didn't care about Ryo beyond that fact that he needed him as a host to survive. I feel so bad for poor, cute little Ryo. Having to deal with that psycho Yami half for so many years. :'( Next is Teaseshipping (Seto x Katsuya x Ryou). See ya'll on Monday!


	56. Teaseshipping

_Teaseshipping (Seto x Jonouchi x Ryo)_

"Never again," he swore to himself. "Never. Again."

It had started out so normally. Yugi had come to KaibaCorp for a duel, and Jonouchi and Bakura had been tagging along. Kaiba had not liked having the mutt and the she-male coming to watch their duel, but he had tolerated it since it was the only way Yugi would have come.

And then, of course, the breaker had to go down. And all the mechanics were out on Christmas holiday at the _exact same time._ God must have been playing a practical joke, because the only person left in the entire building that could fix the breaker was Kaiba himself. So he had had to go all the way down to the basement to fix it.

And Jonouchi had decided to follow him (something about seeing all of Kaiba's dirty secrets – stupid, really, if he had dirty secrets he would have buried them on another continent and not his company's basement, because then no one could trace him back to it) and Ryo mentioned that he had some experience with electricity and had offered to come down and help. Apparently, according to Jonouchi, Kaiba had made some grunt that made them think it was okay with them following him. Yugi muttered something about hating basements and said he would wait in the lobby.

And then the door had locked inexplicably when they tried to get back upstairs.

So Seto Kaiba was stuck in the basement with the mutt and the she-male.

"Grhg!" Jonouchi said, heaving against the door again. "Won't – budge!"

"Of course it won't, you stupid mutt," Kaiba snarled, way more on edge than he would have liked. "I pride myself on security. If a door is locked, _it stays locked. _Brute force certainly won't solve any of our problems."

"Is the door connected to the electrical system?" Ryo asked.

"No. The basement door is just a normal, low-tech padlock," Kaiba said, trying to ignore everyone. He pulled at some plugs and started tinkering with the grid. If he could just get the system back online, he could call upstairs and get someone to unlock the door. How on earth had it even gotten locked? Someone was clearly playing a practical joke on him – either that or someone was actually trying to break into KaibaCorp and keep him out of the way.

"Kaiba-san, that's the wrong plug," Ryo said suddenly. "You're connecting the lobby lights with the telephone lines."

"What?"

Kaiba actually looked at what he was doing and found that Ryo was right. He swore at himself mentally for allowing his mind to wander.

"Hey, maybe we can get out through a ventilation shaft!" Jonouchi said. "I wonder where the vents are..."

The blond boy started prowling down the rows of boxes, peering around rows and into crannies.

Idiot, Kaiba thought. The ventilation shafts were barely big enough for a two year old to fit through down here. Otherwise they would have been a severe security hazard.

"My cell phone doesn't have reception," Ryo said. "What about yours, Kaiba? We could call Yugi."

At least someone was being logical, Kaiba allowed.

"Tried. We're under too much rock here to get the signals."

Jonouchi yelped somewhere and Kaiba heard something crash. He groaned, but forced himself to ignore it. He just hoped that wasn't the box with the Duel Disk prototypes.

_Never again_, he thought again. _Never, ever, ever, again. I am never letting all the engineers take their holiday break at the same time._

A/N: aw, poor Kaiba. Stuck in the basement with Ryo and Jonouchi. :D I couldn't help myself, I just wanted to lock them all up together (which sounds dirty...sorry. X3) Next up is Tauntshipping (Pegasus x Marik x Yami no Yugi x Seto).


	57. Tauntshipping

_Tauntshipping (Pegasus x Marik x Yami no Yugi x Kaiba)_

_(I think I may take a Christmas theme for the next three or so chapters, since we're coming up quickly on the holiday.)_

He knew who it was long before they got to the door of his office. Only Pegasus J. Crawford could hum Jingles Bells with such an obnoxious tone.

With a growl, Kaiba stood up from his desk and stalked over to the door, peering out. Just as he had expected, Pegasus was coming around the corner of the cubicles, by this time having switched to humming We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

"Pegasus," Kaiba said as the American man drew nearer. "What are you doing up here? I thought I told my staff that they weren't supposed to let you up."

"Dear Kaiba-boy, don't blame them. I can be very persuasive," Pegasus said with a bow.

As if to prove his point, he winked at one of the lady workers in the cubicle next to him, and she giggled girlishly. Kaiba scowled and made a note to dock a couple people's pay.

"What are you even doing here, Pegasus?"

"Ah, I was on vacation, ran into a couple friends, and thought I'd come say hello, Kaiba-boy," Pegasus said cheerily. "Dear me, what _are_ you doing working so close to Christmas? Shouldn't you give your poor workers a break?"

"I don't have time to take vacations, Pegasus, and neither do you," Kaiba snapped. "Your company is even closer to going under than mine."

"I have a leave of absence due to...work-related injury," Pegasus said, tapping the bangs over his hidden eye meaningfully.

Kaiba shuddered in spite of himself. Before he could say anything else, though, the elevator opened again and Yugi appeared with someone else next to him. It took Kaiba a minute, to realize that it was the Egyptian boy who had been a finalist in Battle City. Malik, or something like that?

"Yo, Kaiba," Yugi said, and by the confident bearing Kaiba guessed that it was the "back" Yugi.

"And what are _you_ doing here?" Kaiba said.

His employees weren't really working anymore, he could tell. He could still hear the normal idle chatter, but the normal click of keyboards and ringing phones had ceased.

"Never mind, I don't want to know," Kaiba said. "Just...get in here before you distract my employees any more than you already have."

"Oh," Pegasus said with an unnecessary flourish that made a couple of girls start whispering

Kaiba groaned mentally as he realized he was going to have to deal with rumors that he was homosexual for the next three weeks. Maybe he would close down for the Christmas week so he wouldn't have to deal with it.

Once they were all inside his office and the door was firmly shut, Kaiba turned on all of them.

"So what on God's green earth are you all doing here in the middle of a workday?" he said.

"I'm just here to make sure you're not overworking yourself, Kaiba-boy," Pegasus said. "After all, Christmas is coming."

"I just thought I'd stop by to say Merry Christmas, since you're likely to forget," Yugi said, shrugging. "And I ran into Marik on the way, so he tagged along."

"Hey," Marik said.

Kaiba closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down.

"You're interrupting my valuable work time, for one thing," he said. "And for another, I don't even celebrate Christmas. It's stupid – only three percent of Japan is actually Christian, so what is the point of celebrating it?"

"It's fun?" Yugi said.

"I've never celebrated it before. I think it's interesting," Marik said. "Even though I'm certainly not Christian."

"Poor Kaiba," Pegasus said. "Did you even buy a gift for your poor little brother? I'll bet that you told him Santa doesn't exist when he was five. You are certainly a Scrooge, aren't you? "

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about," Kaiba snapped. "And I'd thank you all to leave me alone so I can get some things done!"

A pause grew between them. Then a mischievous smile spread across Pegasus' face, as the American man reached back to grab one of the loose wheelie chairs and sit down in it.

"Pegasus..." Kaiba said warningly.

"I'm sorry, Kaiba-boy, but you won't get me out of here until I get a promise from you to attend a Christmas party tonight," he said, folding his fingers together. "Come on, Kaiba-boy. Yugi-boy and Marik-boy and all their friends are coming."

"I am?" said Marik.

Yugi shrugged helplessly.

"No," Kaiba said. "Get out."

"I'm not leaving," Pegasus said in a sing-song voice.

"Um...Pegasus, maybe we should just go," Marik said.

"I'm calling security," Kaiba said.

Pegasus just started humming Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, even as Kaiba hand hovered over his phone. Yugi glanced over at Kaiba, looking vaguely amused by the whole scene.

Kaiba felt a blood vessel pounding in his head. If only this season would be over already – Christmas just made people crazy.

A/N: Let us continue to torment Kaiba with loud and obnoxious Christmas songs! :D I love Pegasus so much. Coming next is Tasselshipping (Kaiba x Espa Roba).


	58. Tasselshipping

_Tasselshipping (Kaiba x Esper Roba)_

Kaiba felt like his head was going to explode. The constant sound of a string instrument being strummed alongside a group of violins and a flute in _The First Noel_ made him want to scream – wasn't anyone else tired of this song yet? He managed to stay calm, however, and continued staring at the long aisle of toys.

He felt like a total idiot among all the plastic action figures and especially the fairy dresses, and he wondered what the tabloids would have to say if they caught him in here. He had taken precautions, of course: he wore a dark pair of sunglasses and a short black jacket with jeans. Much different from his usual long white or purple coat. No one would think twice to see a brown haired teenager in Walmart.

He chewed on his lip, staring at the Legos and wondering for the five hundredth time why he didn't know what Mokuba wanted for Christmas. He couldn't remember it ever being this difficult. Well…he hadn't actually gotten Mokuba anything for Christmas in years. What on Earth did that kid want? He didn't even believe in Santa Claus (thanks to his big brother, Kaiba though dryly) so Kaiba couldn't even use that as an excuse to get his wish list. Hm…maybe the alien Lego set…?

He became aware that someone was standing beside him, but decided to ignore it. And that's what he did until he realized that the figure had reached out and taken a small Lego set – the one Kaiba had been looking at a moment ago – and slipped it under his jacket.

Idiot. Why would he have stolen the thing right in front of someone?

Kaiba wasn't sure why he decided to get involved, but as the blue-haired boy turned away, Kaiba reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey," he said. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Huh?" the boy said, looking back over his shoulder – the very picture of innocence. "I'm sorry, but what are you talking about."

"Just put the box back. Unless you expect me to believe that you're just carrying it there until you get to the check-out line."

The boy scowled up at him. Kaiba did not let go of the boy's shoulder until he reached sullenly into his jacket and put the Lego set back on the shelf.

"There, you happy?" the boy said.

"I'm never happy," Kaiba said. "Just go before I call someone."

He shoved the boy forward. But the boy didn't start walking. He shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to scowl.

"I hope you know that you're ruining Christmas for my family," he said.

"Is it that hard to buy the stupid thing?" Kaiba said, not looking at him. Hm…maybe Mokuba would like the cowboy set better…? Or did he even like Legos? Kaiba wasn't sure. Damn, this was hard.

"I can't afford it," the boy said sullenly. "Not after I've bought the other stuff for my brothers. I can't leave any of them out."

Kaiba paused, glancing at the boy now. He looked vaguely familiar, like maybe Kaiba had seen his picture somewhere before. Chin-length, light blue hair and narrow eyes, not much taller than Mokuba. Huh. He couldn't place him.

Kaiba just shrugged at him, taking down one of the sets to look at the back. Pirates, maybe?

"What's your name, anyway?"

"What's yours?" the boy shot back.

Kaiba decided it would be a better use of his time to just ignore the little shoplifter. Then, after a pause, the boy answered.

"Esper. Esper Roba. And what about you?"

Hm. Still didn't remember him.

"Kai – " Kaiba started, and then remembered that he wasn't supposed to be here. "Kai."

"That's a stupid name."

"Should I just call security and tell them you've been shoplifting?"

That shut the boy up. But it didn't take long for him to start talking again.

"Well, 'Kai,' you obviously have no idea what it's like to not have any money," the boy said scathingly. "And you've probably never felt obligated to buy a gift for a family member in your life! If you have a younger sibling, I bet that they're sad every single Christmas! I'm just trying to make things a little better for my brothers!"

And with that, he started to turn around. Kaiba paused, halfway to putting the Lego set back. When was the last time he had gotten Mokuba something for Christmas? He had never really thought that Mokuba minded – after all, Christmas was a really busy time at KaibaCorp. They had rarely taken a break during the holidays.

"I was ten," he muttered under his breath. "Seven years ago. That was the last time I got Mokuba a Christmas present."

It had been a small, egg-shaped capsule he had found on the ground. When he opened it, there was a little monster inside. At the time, he had had no idea what it was, but the monster looked kind of like a dragon. Mokuba liked dragons. At the orphanage, he hadn't even been able to wrap it. But Mokuba had looked so, so happy when Seto brought it out from behind his back.

"Hey. Roba," Kaiba said suddenly.

The boy paused, and glared back over his shoulder. His eyes widened with shock, and he turned around just in time to catch the Lego set that Kaiba tossed at him. They got even wider when he saw the ten dollar bill that Kaiba had shoved in the crack of the box.

"Get your brother his Christmas gift," he said.

And before Esper Roba could say anything else, Kaiba turned and walked out of the aisle.

_Wonder where they sell the Capsule Monsters…_

A/N: Aw, how sweet! Kaiba's acting like a big brother! X3 Hooray for Christmas, because it gives me ideas! Next is Tangleshipping (Ryouta/Mako Tsunami x Ryuzaki/Rex x Roba x Haga/Weevil).


	59. Tangleshipping

_Tangleshipping (Ryouta x Ryuzaki x Roba x Haga)_

It was just your average Christmas party. Of course, a good half of the invitees had opted not to show up, so it was small, but still average.

You walk in, and there's the average splashes of water in the front room, probably from the snowy boots. There's a Christmas tree in the living room just down the hall, where a couple of boys are arguing over the ornaments. One of them insists that he should be allowed to hang his tyrannosaurus rex ornament, which has a Santa hat and so is a lot more Christmas-like than the spiders that the other boy is hanging on the tree. But the boy with the spider ornament argues that hanging spiders on the tree is a legitimate Christmas tradition in Ukraine, to which the dinosaur boy replies that they're not in Ukraine. And underneath the tree, there are plenty of oddly shaped packages, including one that looks suspiciously like a harpoon.

In the kitchen, a tall tan boy talks on and on about the benefits of salt water over freshwater, while a shorter, blue-haired boy attempts to juggle several pans of baking cookies, a turkey, and all of the miniature version of him that must his brothers who are scampering around the room, talking wildly and hurting more than helping.

Just an ordinary Christmas party...

No, never mind, this isn't even remotely normal.

A/N: ...XD that's all I have to say about this one. Next is Taleshipping (Siegfried x Leonhart) Incest...sigh.


	60. Taleshipping

_Taleshipping (Siegfried x Leonhart)_

_(Last Christmas themed one! :D)_

Siegfried von Schroider leaned against the closed door.

"Leon?" he whispered.

No answer. With a grimace, Siegfried tried the handle. It didn't turn.

Even though he knew the butler had a key to all the rooms, Siegfried let his hand fall from the handle. Maybe he deserved to be shut out after…

_"Hey, _bruder_! Do you want to help me make cookies for Santa?"_

_"I'm busy, Leonhart."_

_"You're_ always_ busy! Can't you take a break for a few minutes – it's Christmas Eve, after all!"_

_"Work in a gaming company does not stop for the holidays. It goes faster, actually."_

_"Please, Siggy? It won't take long to mix the batter –"_

_"Leonhart von Schroider! Can't you see that I am trying hard to get our company back to where it was? Can't you see that I'm trying to fix things for us, to do what father wanted? I don't have time to make cookies for a man that doesn't even exist!"_

The look on Leon's face had stopped him…but too late. Siegfried had forgotten that Leon still believed in Santa Claus. And like the idiot he was, he had just…shattered that innocence.

He swallowed, and tried the door again.

"Leon?"

Still no answer.

Siegfried leaned his forehead against the door. Damn. He had thought he had gotten better since the Grand Prix. Turns out he was still just a workaholic, brother-hating jerk. He wondered vaguely for a moment if Seto and Mokuba had similar problems on Christmas. Then he turned his thoughts to his own brother. What had they done before father had died, on Christmas Eve?

They would go out and wrestle in the snow, see who could make the biggest snowball, have a snowball fight. They'd play hide and seek and get themselves lost in the Christmas market. They would hide in the closet in the room where the Christmas tree was, and peek at it before they were supposed to, then sneak out to blow out the candles on the Christmas tree on the other side while Leoni, the maid, was lighting them on the other. It always made her so flustered…they had laughed at that together.

And then they would –

Siegfried took a deep breath, hoping against hope that he could fix this. He hurried down to the library, swearing under his breath as he tried to find the right book. Then he ran back up the stairs, to Leon's still closed door, and sat down against the wall beside it.

He opened the book on his lap and cleared his throat softly.

"'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…not even a mouse.'"

He paused to listen for movement, but there was none, so he continued.

"'The stockings where hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter's nap.'"

There – just the tiniest hint of a footstep on the carpet. The soft click of the handle turning. Siegfried kept reading.

"'When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.'"

The door opened without a sound, and a quiet voice joined Siegfried's.

_"'The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer."_

Siegfried stopped reading. Leon's door hung open, and Leon himself sat next to Siegfried, nestled against him the way they used to, on Christmas Eves long ago.

"Leon," Siegfried said. "I'm sorry –"

"Just keep reading, Siggy," Leon said.

Siegfried smiled, and he knew that, for now, everything would be fine.

_"With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick…"_

A/N: Cute and Christmasy! Merry Christmas to everyone (or Season's Greetings or Happy Winter if you don't celebrate Christmas). Next will be Taintshipping (Seto x Noa x Ryou). Weird...but it will probably have a New Year's theme or at least a winter one.


	61. Taintshipping

_Taintshipping (Seto x Ryo x Noa)_

It was just another day, for him, anyway. Everyone else was celebrating, at a party or something. They were all ready to ring in the new year.

For Ryo, though, it was just the beginning of another long, lonely year.

He stood in the snow, bundled up in a coat and scarf, staring down at the grave of his mother and sister. His father hadn't even come back for the holidays. Hadn't even sent a card in the mail, or called. It was like he had forgotten he had a son.

He sighed deeply.

"Happy New Year, mom, Amane," he whispered.

He started to turn around, and then noticed a pair of figures walking down to the cemetery, barely visible in the fading light. It took him a few moments to make out who it was, and the revelation surprised him.

There was Seto Kaiba, looking disgruntled in his long, thick purple coat, and Mokuba Kaiba, his breath clearly visible in the air and his cheeks red.

"Oh, Bakura-san?" Mokuba said, and Ryo was flattered that the boy remembered him. "What are you doing here? I thought Yugi and everyone were having a New Year's party."

"They are," Ryo said. "I'm going there in a minute..."

Mokuba's eyes wandered to the gravestone behind Ryo, and his expression became saddened.

"What are you two doing here?" Ryo asked quickly, before Mokuba could ask about his family.

Seto snorted.

"Mokuba has this idea in his head that...someone we knew is buried here," he said. "He's been looking all over the place for the grave."

"We have to wish Noa a Happy New Year, and a Merry Christmas, because he missed that too!" Mokuba said.

Seto rolled his eyes, but it was obvious that his sarcasm was forced.

"Whatever. Just be quick, you got it? It's getting dark, and if we don't show up at that stupid party soon, then I'll have to deal with Pegasus bothering me for the rest of the week."

Mokuba nodded vehemently and ran off. He paused at each gravestone, reading the contents before running on, until they could barely see him.

Seto and Ryo were the only ones left, the fog of their breath mixing in the air.

"So..." Ryo said, unsure if he should break the silence. "Who's Noa?"

Seto didn't reply. An awkward moment passed – and then suddenly, Seto spoke.

"He was our stepfather's son," he said. "He died in a car accident just days before we were adopted. We met him again during Battle City, because my stepfather uploaded his consciousness into a computer."

"Really?" Ryo said, shocked. "I don't remember that."

"You were unconscious at the time," Seto said. "Consider yourself lucky: his games were one hell of a waste of time."

The silence grew again.

"What...happened to Noa, then?" Ryo asked softly. "Why is Mokuba so desperate to find his grave?"

Seto blinked, as though surprised by the question.

"Well..." Seto said after a beat. "Maybe...Mokuba liked having a brother his own age, although if Noa were still alive, he'd be as old as I am. Either way, Noa shut down the virtual world in order to make sure my stepfather didn't invade another network. Guess old Gozaburo remained a backstabber to the end. Even to his own son."

The cold bit at Ryo's nose. All of this was somewhat hard to believe: uploading a brain into a computer? But still, he had to deal with an evil spirit living inside his head, so it couldn't be that far-fetched.

"He must have been...lonely..." Ryo said softly.

"What?" Seto said, sounding surprised.

"Noa, I mean," Ryo said. "All alone in a virtual world...and only he's the real one...and even his father just tossed him aside...maybe Mokuba picked up on that. He's like that...I can tell. He probably just doesn't want Noa to feel lonely ever again."

A faraway set of car lights gleamed in the distance, but it didn't help Ryo see Seto's face. Small crystals of snow started to fall lightly around them. It merely enhanced the silence.

"Yeah..." Seto said quietly. "Maybe...you're right..."

Ryo looked up at the taller boy, and for a moment, felt an uncanny connection with him. Both of them...were missing their parents. Both of them were missing guidance.

"I'm...going to go check on Mokuba," Seto said.

"Yeah, you probably should," Ryo said.

Seto took a step – and then he stopped dead, staring.

Ryo hesitated. He had been about to start walking towards Yugi's house, but he followed Kaiba's gaze.

And then he, too, stopped to stare.

The grave behind his family's gleamed in the half-light of a streetlamp, and on the face of the stone read the words _Noa Kaiba._ But that wasn't why they were staring.

They were staring because there was a boy scrunched up in a ball in front of the grave, cheeks red with cold. Short green hair fell around closed eyes, and he looked much too cold in his short sleeves and shorts.

They both hesitated for only a brief moment. And it was Seto that moved first.

"Mokuba!" he shouted, as he shot to the side of the boy. "Mokuba, come here! Get over here!"

Seto hefted the boy into his arms, as Ryo ran over, unbuttoning his coat.

"He's going to freeze!" Ryo said, tucking his coat around him. "Kaiba-san, is this...?"

"It's Noa, all right, there can't be a mistake about that," Seto said, eyes wide with disbelief. "But...how...?"

Noa stirred ever so slightly. His eyelids fluttered.

"Father..." he whispered, and the hint of tears grew in his eyes. "Please...please don't leave me. I'm afraid of the dark...I'm afraid of being alone..."

Ryo heard the crunch of approaching footsteps as Mokuba ran towards them from the dark. Ryo glanced up into Seto's face. He looked flustered and confused, like he wasn't exactly sure what he should do. But there wasn't a hint of anger or hatred in his eyes. It was almost unnatural.

"I don't want to be alone," Noa whispered, his eyes still not opening.

Ryo touched his head gently.

"You're not going to be," he said.

"Happy New Year, Noa Kaiba."

A/N: This was tooootally out of canon for me. But, however, I wanted to bring Noa back to life. X3 I love Noa so much even if he's just a filler villain. It just opens up so much more room to develop the whole Kaiba family. Plus, he's adorable. :D Next is Tabloidshipping (Seto x Mokuba). This should never be a romantic relationship...but as a oneshot, it should be fun! Happy New Year, everyone, and let's hope that the next year will be even greater than the last one!


	62. Tabloidshipping

_Tabloidshipping (Mokuba x Seto)_

_(Something that I can't stand about some people is that they can't understand love unless it's romantic.)_

New fallen snow. The crisp, unmoving feel of soft wintry air. The silence of a windless night and a setting moon glittering across drifts of snow. In spite of himself, he couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic.

He didn't have a whole lot of memories from before he was ten. It was easier, less painful to just forget about them. But trudging through the snow, grudgingly bundled up in a heavy coat and scarf that made him feel as bulky as an astronaut, he couldn't help but smile into the folds of his scarf. Snow made the same sound it always did, a soft crunch and then a muffled step as each foot broke through the icier shell. He could remember this. He could remember the sound of silence.

There was Mokuba, his cheeks and nose red from the cold, his hat slipping off of his head. He had taken off his gloves again. That kid. He was going to get frostbite.

But Seto Kaiba did not tell his brother to put his gloves back on. Mokuba just looked so estatic that Seto couldn't bring himself to ruin the mood.

"Nii-san!" Mokuba called back – he had already run up much farther ahead. "Nii-san, come _on_! You're so slow!"

Seto half-smiled, but his mouth was still covered by his scarf. That was probably a good thing, because he wasn't sure how Mokuba would react if he saw him smiling. It would be very out of character.

By the time Seto had reached his brother, Mokuba had dropped onto his back, in the midst of making a snow angel. He sat up quickly and smiled sheepishly at his older brother, as though embarrassed about his occupation. Seto sighed softly, but it was not an exasperated sigh.

"So," he said. "Is this place snowy enough for you?"

Mokuba grinned widely.

"Yeah," he said. "And look, nii-san: you can see the stars here. Much better than in Domino."

Seto glanced up. Then he paused and really, _really_ looked at the stars. It had been a really long time since he had left the city. The faint pinpoints of light wavered, gleaming coldly in the black sky.

"Nii-san…thank you," Mokuba said. Seto looked down from the stars. "Thanks…for letting us come out here."

Seto just shrugged.

"Hey…nii-san?" Mokuba said shyly.

"Hm?"

"Do you…remember our mom?"

The question surprised Seto. He himself hadn't thought about their parents, their _real_ parents, for a really long time. It had been too painful.

"Do you?"

Mokuba shook his head.

"Do you remember our father? Not Gozaburo. Our real father."

Mokuba shook his head again. Seto hesitated. Did _he_ even remember their parents? He had tried so hard to forget them. Carefully, he lowered himself down into the snow beside Mokuba. Mokuba looked up at his brother with surprise, but Seto didn't meet his brother's eyes.

"Mom...was a red head," Seto said slowly. "I can't remember if it was natural or not. Dad had glasses."

"What did dad do?"

"He fixed clocks, I think. Mom helped him sometimes."

"Did she ever sing? Or tell stories?"

It took Seto a long, excruciating moment, but slowly, the images resurfaced. When he began to talk, he was surprised at how easily the picture was painted in the dark winter night.

They lived in a small house outside the city. It was sunny a lot, but there was always a lot of snow in the winter. Their father worked in the study, and they really weren't supposed to go in there while he was working. But they would sneak in more often than not, and he would turn around, and instead of getting angry, would just smile and invite them closer to see what he was working on. He always told the most fantastic of stories while they watched him work on a clock. Their mother was almost always singing. Every now and then, when one of the boys would peek into whatever room she was in, she would look up and smile enthusiastically, and then she would take their hands and dance around the room with them to imaginary music. And every year, when the first snows fell…

"Oh," Mokuba said, eyes going wide. "I remember that! We all went outside, and we would sit and watch the snow fall."

Seto nodded quietly. It was…unnerving…how easily the memories came to the surface. And how much they hurt.

"And dad threw you into a snow drift once!" Mokuba said excitedly. "And then I begged him to throw me too, cause it looked so much fun, and then we were both stuck in the snow up to our necks and we couldn't stop laughing…"

His voice trailed off into the night. For a long time, they sat side by side in the snow, neither speaking, just their breath trailing up into the air.

"Nii-san? Do you miss them?"

Seto wasn't sure how to answer. It would hurt too much to admit that he did. It would make him think too hard about the mistakes he made. About _that man._

A snowflake fluttered down from the sky. And then another. And another.

Mokuba leapt to his feet as the flakes started to drift down, enhancing the silence.

"Nii-san! It's snowing!"

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

But even his big brother's sarcasm couldn't pop Mokuba's bubble of happiness. The young boy just laughed aloud, and ran to catch a few flakes on his tongue.

Seto watched him from far away, and then looked up into the sky to stare at the falling ice crystals.

"Yes," he said softly, so that only the snow could hear. "Yes. I do miss them."

A/N: There's a certain thing that has always bothered me about some people, _especially_ shippers. No one nowadays seems to understand that there's more than one kind of love. There's romantic love, of course, but there's also love between family members, love between friends, and etc. But no one wants to acknowledge that love. As soon as someone says the word "love," all the other forms of love are thrown out the window and it's automatically a "let's get married" love. It's just a pet peeve of mine. Seto _does_ love Mokuba. It's just a kind of love one feels for family, and that doesn't make it any weaker or less than romantic love. Anyway, now that my rant is over…guess what? I just finished the T's! :D Next up is Symbioshipping (Ryouta/Mako Tsunami x Esper Roba). Don't expect me to leave the S's anytime soon…if I post at the same rate as I usually do, it'll take me almost 9 months! XD


	63. Symbioshipping

_Symbioshipping (Ryouta x Esper Roba)_

It was much too warm for January, but Esper Roba wasn't complaining. He didn't have to worry about trying to bundle up every one of his brothers in all kinds of winter gear before trying to get them to school. The morning routine was hard enough as it was.

He breathed out, and could just barely see his breath in the chill morning air. He had just dropped off his youngest sibling at day care, and now it was his turn to try and get to school on time. If the bus came when it usually did, he would make it just in time for the first bell.

However, the he couldn't see the bus coming from either direction, and he shifted from foot to foot, worried that he was going to miss math again. If he was paying for his high school tuition, then he didn't want to miss out on any of his classes. Especially math, which he was failing anyway.

Someone sneezed loudly beside him, and Esper jumped half a foot into the air. Was there someone else waiting at his stop? No one ever used this bus stop this early in the morning!

He glanced at the figure out of the corner of his eye. He had never seen the tall, tanned boy before. His sharp eyes glared out at the world from under a mass of spiky black hair, pushed up even higher because of the goggles he was wearing on his forehead. He hugged himself tightly, shivering visibly despite the huge puffy coat he wore – he must have been wearing at least three layers, not to mention his hat and scarf. His next sneeze shook him all the way down to his feet, and he sniffled loudly.

Esper looked hopefully for the bus, but it was still nowhere in sight.

"Um...good morning," Esper said.

The book glanced at him, looking irritated.

"Good? I wouldn't call this morning good," he half-growled. "It's absolutely freezing!"

"It's only forty degrees. It's actually pretty nice out."

"Hah," the boy said. "That's a good one."

Then he buried his face into his scarf and sneezed again. Esper rocked back and forth on his heels. Should he try to continue the conversation? The boy didn't seem to want to talk.

"So, um...do you live in Domino?"

The boy muttered something, but it was hard to hear him.

"I'm sorry?"

The boy pushed his scarf down.

"I said _no._ No, I don't live in this frozen winter wasteland."

"Oh. So why are you here, then?"

"Eh."

And he wouldn't say anything more. Esper thought about trying to say something else, anything to break the awkward buzzing silence, when the heavenly sight of the bus appeared.

"Well, uh, nice to meet you, then," Esper said, and he scrambled onto the bus.

He heard the boy grunt before shoving past to the back of the bus, where the heater was running. Esper slipped into a seat; the bus was thankfully mostly empty, and he could sit down.

_Well, that was exhausting,_ Esper thought. _I hope I didn't miss too much of math._

A/N: This...was...kinda crappy. I'm continuing my wintry theme, I don't know for how long (until I run out of ideas, I guess) but anyway, this couple...doesn't work for me, I guess. Maybe someone else has pulled it off, but I haven't gotten to know these characters well enough to work with them. And Ryouta/Mako was much too cold to be friendly. ;D Next up is Switchshipping (Mokuba x Meyari). Meyari is the Japanese name of that princess from Kaiba's virtual world, the one that looks like Mokuba. I don't remember her English name... (Adelina or something?)


	64. Switchshipping

_Switchshipping (Mokuba x Princess Meyari)_

He couldn't understand _why_ his brother had designed the character the way he did. It was almost too creepy to think about. Or too depressing, since it could mean that his older brother thought of him as a weakling who was only good for being kidnapped.

Either way, it was too weird to be looking at this obviously female figure and still feel like he was looking into a mirror.

Meyari smiled blankly at him, completely unaware that she was just a sequence of numbers in the game code, a collection of pixels being broadcast across his mind. Mokuba almost hated himself for taking advantage of that ignorance, but if he was going to save his brother, he had to do this. He had to switch places with her, play on that programming that was telling her that she was the princess of this fantasy land. He had to use her programmed emotions that told her to defend her country as the key to finding his brother.

Mokuba hated himself. He hated lying to her, confirming this lie she was living in by playing the game, because when he looked at her, he saw himself.

But even if he had told her...even if he had revealed to her that the world she lived in was not real...she wouldn't have understood.

So he had to lie to her. He had to lie to himself.

A/N: Hard one to work with, considering Meyari is just programming. I still think that's weird...how Seto decided "oh, let's make this fantasy princess look like my younger brother!" Weird, Seto, weird. Okay, next up is Swiftshipping (Jonouchi x Ishizu).


	65. Swiftshipping

_Swiftshipping (Jonouchi x Ishizu)_

Jonouchi glanced behind him, and then in front of him. The entire senior hallway was empty and quiet – all the seniors were on their school trip right now. It was almost the end of Jonouchi's junior year, and he was alone in the senior hallway.

He listened for a moment, making sure he couldn't hear any footsteps coming up the stairs.

He crouched down, staring at the faraway end of the hallway. And then he burst forward.

The neat row of doors on one side and windows on the other disappeared in a blur as he tore down the empty hallway. Blood rushed in his ears as his arms pumped faster – he couldn't believe he hadn't done this in almost a year!

He was reaching the end of the hallway – and someone appeared around the corner. Jonouchi wheeled his arms frantically, trying to skid to a stop. But he had too much momentum!

In a dizzying crash and a tangle of limbs and yelps, Jonouchi and the other figure crashed to the floor. Jonouchi moaned, rubbing the back of his head. It pounded dully; he must have hit it when he fell.

"Geez," Jonouchi said. "Hey, you okay? You should be more careful."

His words caught in his throat when he realized that it was Ishizu that was picking herself up in front of him.

"Ishizu?" Jonouchi said, disbelieving. "What the heck are you doing in Domino High School?"

Ishizu looked up and blinked, surprised for a moment. Then she smiled.

"Oh, Jonouchi-san," she said, sounding cheerful. "I thought the juniors were in class right now."

"Um, we're supposed to be," Jonouchi said. "What are you doing here?"

"I could be asking you the same thing."

Ishizu stood up shakily. She brushed off her dress, and then extended a softly bronzed hand to Jonouchi. Sheepishly, Jonouchi accepted her help and stood up with a groan.

"Sorry about that," he said.

Ishizu laughed softly.

"It's fine. I thought I heard something down here. I should have checked before I came right around the corner."

Jonouchi found himself blushing furiously, and quickly looked away.

"So, uh, anyway, you didn't answer me. What are you doing in Japan? I thought you went back to Egypt with Marik and Rishid."

"I did," Ishizu said. "But I am still the head of the Egyptian Supreme Board of Antiquities, and I have to travel a bit to keep up to date on things. As of now, there's an important Egyptian exhibit coming to your local museum, and I have to keep an eye on things. I thought I'd stop by and say hello to everyone while I was here."

"Oh. That makes sense."

"What about you, Jonouchi? What are you doing here when you're supposed to be in class?"

There was a teasing tone to her voice that made Jonouchi blush all the harder.

"Um, I'm skipping. Just today, though, I haven't skipped a class in almost a year and a half before now!"

"Ah. Not since you and Yugi became friends, and the pharaoh appeared, right?"

Jonouchi hesitated, feeling the tendrils of depression setting in.

"...yeah."

Ishizu's brown eyes were sad, and she touched Jonouchi's shoulder gently. They didn't say anything for a long moment.

"So...why the senior hallway?" Ishizu asked finally.

Jonouchi blushed again.

"Back in middle school, when all the eighth graders were on their school trip, most of the gang kids would skip class and go fight in the park," Jonouchi said. "I was...kind of a jerk back then. I got into those fights a lot."

He glanced back down the long, empty hallway.

"But one day, I was sneaking out of school to meet up with the other guys, when I passed by the empty eighth grade hallway. I just got this urge to run down it as fast I could, with no one around to yell at me or pick a fight with me."

He turned back to Ishizu, who was smiling softly.

"It was great. I had never felt so ecstatic," Jonouchi said. "So after that, I stopped going to pick fights during those days. I'd just spend the time running down the empty hallway. I never did it in high school, though. Cause then I had Yugi, and Honda, and Anzu around. There was no point to skipping class then."

"And why today?" Ishizu asked.

Jonouchi looked down. He scuffed one foot against the floor, and then shoved his hands in his pockets. He knew that Ishizu understood. That was the way she was.

"I...miss him too," Ishizu said softly. "I didn't know the pharaoh as long as you and the others did but...I owe him my brother's life. I wish I _could_ have known him longer."

Jonouchi just nodded. There was very little to say after that.

Ishizu touched Jonouchi's shoulder again, and then pushed him gently. Jonouchi looked up, surprised.

"Why don't...we run together?" Ishizu said. "It will take our minds off the sadness."

Jonouchi glanced dubiously at Ishizu, clad in her long dress that certainly wasn't good for running. But Ishizu just sent him a mischievous smile, pushed him a little harder so that he lost his balance, and took off down the hallway.

With a barely suppressed laugh, Jonouchi tore after her.

A/N: Took inspiration from the shipping name for this one. :D Obviously I got bored of my snow theme kick already. I think Jonouchi and Ishizu would make a cute couple, but I'm still a fervent Trustshipper and Polarshipper, so I'm not sure I completely support Swiftshipping. Okay, next up is Sweetshipping (Ryo x Mokuba).


	66. Sweetshipping

_Sweetshipping (Mokuba x Ryo)_

_(it's back to school for me...I'll probably be more late than ever posting these)_

They met because both of them made a mistake. And it had absolutely nothing to do with them ending up in jail.

Mokuba Kaiba had accidentally taken a wrong turn in Otogi's game shop and walked into the Monster World section. Ryo Bakura had accidentally bought a set of monster figures that he already owned and had returned them, and was now in the Monster World section trying to find the new set he had been looking for in the first place.

"Oh, hello," Ryo said. "Aren't you Kaiba's little brother? Mokuba, right?"

"Don't you hang around with Yugi?" Mokuba asked at the same time.

They stared at each other for a moment, neither really wanting to speak because then the other one might speak and they might be talking over each other again. It was Ryo that finally broke the silence.

"Yes, I do hang out with Yugi sometimes," Ryo said. "I'm surprised you remember me. I'm Ryo Bakura, in case you had forgotten."

Mokuba blushed slightly, because he _had_ forgotten. Seto didn't bother remembering the names of people he didn't duel, and usually just referred to him as "that white haired kid with the Millennium Item." He wasn't wearing that Millennium Item today, however, and Mokuba wasn't sure if he should ask why.

"So what brings you here?" Ryo asked. "Do you play Monster World?"

"No," Mokuba said. "I, uh, was looking for the Capsule Monsters."

Ryo smiled slightly.

"Those are on the other side of the store. Did you get lost?"

"No, I didn't!" Mokuba said heatedly, but that didn't stop his blush. "I never get lost!"

Ryo just half smiled, which made Mokuba angry, so he turned around and stormed out of the aisle like his brother did.

But at the end of the aisle, he ducked around the side and peeked around the corner. What was Monster World anyway? The figures he saw hanging on the shelves were pretty cool. There was a pretty awesome dragon looming over Ryo. Ryo reached up and took down the dragon, turning it over in his hands to find the price. He put it back almost immediately, and instead picked up a bag of goblin figures.

Before Mokuba knew it, he was sneaking back into the aisle and watching Ryo look at all of the monster sets. Harpies, slimes, lizard-people, demon birds...they were a lot like Capsule Monsters.

Ryo looked up, and Mokuba blushed as he realized that Ryo had known he was there the whole time.

"So, uh," Mokuba started. "How _do_ you play this Monster World thing anyway?"

A/N: short and kind of crappy. I had no ideas for a scene between these two. It worked out rather well, though. They seem to get along. Next is Supportshipping (Anzu x Honda)


	67. Supportshipping

_Supportshipping (Anzu x Honda)_

She could see her breath in the air, twirling upwards into the sky until it faded into the ending white of the winter sky. It was cold, cold enough to make her shiver despite a brand-new extra-thick coat and the biggest scarf she could find. But she didn't move from the bench, even though the frozen over wooden surface was starting to invade the seat of her pants with its chill.

It was never cold in Egypt, she mused. But it would be in New York. She wondered if it got as cold in New York as it did in Domino. She wondered if it would snow more often. She had seen pictures of the dirty snow piled up on the sides of the busy city streets. Even snow could not make that city slow down, or take a breath. That was what she would miss the most about Domino. Even in the middle of a city, it was possible to find an oasis of quiet. A breath, just enough to recollect oneself.

A little less than four months separated her from spring. And then her last year of Domino High would end.

"Anzu? Hey, what're you doing sitting out here alone?"

Anzu Mazaki looked up from her musings. Hiroto Honda stood in front of her, wearing only a thin jacket to keep out the cold. He made her cold just looking at him.

"Oh, just thinking," she said. "I just needed a breath, you know."

Honda nodded understandingly, and after a beat, took a seat on the bench next to her.

"It's quiet," he said. "You wouldn't think you could get that, not in a city."

"I know," Anzu said. "I'm going to miss this place."

They both fell silent. Clouds of quiet breaths floated into the air, taking with them words unspoken.

"Do you think it's warm?" she said suddenly.

Honda looked up, and their eyes met.

"Where?" he said.

"On...on the other side of that door."

She didn't have to explain any further. Honda knew what door she was talking about.

"Of course," he said. "Of course it's warm."

"I hope it's not too warm, though," Anzu said, leaning back to look up at the white sky. "And I hope that the sky is always blue, except on the days when it rains, and the rain is always a warm one, so that you can go out and dance in it."

"Yeah," Honda said. "I hope that it's bright and green. With life everywhere you look. And that there's always laughter. And you never, ever have to feel lonely."

"But there's always a place just for you," Anzu said quietly. "Where you can just sit and watch your breath wander into the sky..."

For a moment, Anzu could see it. Clear, and bright, and happy, and a face that she knew and longed for was waiting for her, smiling for her...

Honda's hand landed lightly on her shoulder. He squeezed gently, almost a massage. He could have said any number of things. 'It's going to be all right.' 'I'm sure he's in a place just like that.'

But he said nothing. He was just there. And for that, Anzu was immeasurably grateful.

Because sometimes you just need to sit and watch your breath wander into the clear white sky.

A/N: This one got kind of poetic. XD Anyway, I liked it. But I can't see Anzu and Honda as anything more than friends. Good ones, but just friends. I hate how that nowadays, it seems like characters can't be super good friends with someone. If they're really close, that must mean they're in love. Geez. It happened with Sherlock, and I hated that. People try to do that with Yu-Gi-Oh, and I hate that too. It's like saying a friend can't sacrifice things for a friend, no, you have to be in love for that. There's just too much emphasis on romance lately. (and here I am, making a series based on romance...) anyway, I'm done with my rant for the day. Next up is Supplyshipping (Sugoroku x Gozaburo).


	68. Supplyshipping

_Supplyshipping (Sugoroku x Gozaburo)_

"I thought I said that I didn't want to see your face in my shop ever again."

Sugoroku didn't have to turn around to know who he was saying these words too. Only one person could snap a door shut with such perpetual irritation.

Gozaburo Kaiba didn't seem too perturbed by Sugoroku's words. He just smiled dryly and walked over to lean his elbows across the counter. Sugoroku turned around with a frown, folding his arms.

"That wasn't a very warm welcome, Sugoroku."

"It's Mutou to you, Kaiba. At the very least stick a -san onto it," Sugoroku said. "Heard you were dead a while ago."

Gozaburo gave Sugoroku a sardonic smile.

"Good. I had hoped I was convincing enough."

"I actually heard that you were dead twice over from my grandson," Sugoroku said, pretending to be busy dusting the counter so he wouldn't have to look at Gozaburo directly. "Threw yourself out a window. Then got your brain data deleted when a nuke blew up your computer."

"You think I'm that stupid?" Gozaburo said. "It's an easy enough task to catch oneself after a fall; they do it for jumpers all the time. And if you think I'm stupid enough to waste opportunities in the physical world by completely uploading myself into a network, then you must be losing your touch."

"Hmph."

Sugoroku turned back around to act like he was dusting more shelves.

"It seems more cluttered than the last time I visited."

"That was because I hadn't fully stocked yet. Now do yourself a favor: turn around and walk out the door. I don't want you in my shop."

"Heh. Charmer as always, Sugoroku," Gozaburo said, emphasizing the old man's given name to annoy him. "Don't even want to know why I'm here?"

"I never cared what you were doing, Gozaburo. I thought I made that clear in Brazil."

"I don't remember you saying anything like that until India."

Sugoroku almost dropped the Hindi game he had been angrily dusting. He shoved the piece back into its shelf and turned on Gozaburo with a glare.

"What do you want, Kaiba?"

"Thought you'd want to know."

"Whatever will get you out of my shop."

Gozaburo reached down and pulled up a suitcase. Sugoroku groaned.

"If this is another treasure map, wild story, or so-far-unseen bit of archeology that will lead to a mythological temple, then I don't want to hear about it."

"You used to like it when I found adventures for you to go on."

"And they usually ended up with me in a quicksand pit while your pockets got a little heavier. Now hurry up, I want you to finish this so you can leave."

Gozaburo clicked open the suitcase and spun it around. Sugoroku gave a cursory glance to the contents: a bit of broken pot pieces with old languages on them, a set of arrow heads of strange make, and a small glass dragon, which Sugoroku took a bit longer to look over.

After a few moment's consideration over his word choice, Sugoroku spoke.

"This is to help you rebuild your fortune since you've lost KaibaCorp, isn't it?"

"Heh. You'd like to think so," Gozaburo said.

"Don't play games with me, Gozaburo. You've never been good at it. You have dummy companies, don't you? You have since you started KaibaCorp."

Gozaburo shrugged.

"I do what I have to if I want to stay on top of the market."

"And what do these have to do with anything?"

Sugoroku turned back to the shelves to actually dust while Gozaburo continued.

"Interesting thing, actually. They might lead to an ancient civilization that could still be living in Asia. What do you say, Sugoroku? Think of the history."

Sugoroku paused. Then he slowly, slowly put down his dust rag. Through the open back door of the shop, up the stairs into the house, he caught a snippet of conversation, a wisp of laughter, the pad of several pairs of slippered feet running around the living room. He caught the hint of baking bread from the kitchen, breathed the dust rising from the cluttered game shop, absorbed the quiet silence of the room around him.

"No, Kaiba," he said after a breath. "I'm old. I can't go running around anymore."

"Well, I'm sure your son would love to go on this adventure –"

"Jin is dead, Gozaburo. He has been for years. You just haven't been in touch with real life long enough to notice."

Gozaburo's pause was enough for Sugoroku to know that he had hit a nerve. He filled the silence before Gozaburo could make an angry reply.

"Things have changed. There's not room for adventures anymore. It's enough to just live on with what you have. Maybe if you had looked away from the numbers and the finances for just a few minutes, you would have what I have."

"And what exactly do you have? A dusty, floundering game shop? A rickety old house?"

"Family," Sugoroku said. "Friends. A safety net, you could call it. Gozaburo, did you know that Seto, Mokuba, and Noa are upstairs right now with my grandson and his friends?"

The slight dropping of Gozaburo's jaw was enough for Sugoroku to regain his lead.

"Yes, Gozaburo. I did say Noa. Noa came back. He could because he realized that he had something more to live for than a company and a pile of money. He came back because he found what you were ready to toss aside."

The old man turned back to the shelves. He could sense Gozaburo boring holes into his back for a long moment. And then he heard the click of a suitcase, the clopping of feet, and the snap of the door closing.

Quietly, the little ethereal form of the Blue Eyes White Dragon crawled from the card box and onto Sugoroku's shoulder.

_Now I know where Seto gets it_, she said scathingly. _This one's an even bigger prick._

Sugoroku chuckled, but didn't reply. She watched him for a moment with big, mirror-like blue eyes. Then,

_You did know where those pieces came from, right? They were from my world. Do you think the prick realized it?_

"No," Sugoroku said, putting down his dust rag and moving towards the stairs. "And he won't. He doesn't have the guts."

A/N: This turned out kind of weird, but I imagine Sugoroku as like an Indiana Jones kind of guy when he was younger. And I thought it would be interesting if Sugoroku knew Gozaburo from that time in his life, like Gozaburo was his sponsor a couple times or something and that's how Gozaburo first built his fortune. Gozaburo doesn't really show up much in the manga, and his personality is rather flat in virtual world arc in the anime, so he was hard to work with. I couldn't even figure out his speaking style; I was caught between a British formal tone and a New York drawl. Next is Summonshipping (Yami no Marik x Rishid x Marik).


	69. Summonshipping

_Summonshipping (Yami no Marik x Rishid x Marik)_

The first days after father's death were the worst.

The funeral service had been short, as the other tribe members had been too afraid to stay in the same room as the rest of the Ishtar family for too long. It was supposed to be a secret, what had happened. But there were no such thing as secrets in the catacombs.

Ishizu never stopped crying. She rarely left her chamber – she couldn't. Watching her father die had been too much for her to bear; her mental stability hovered ever the brink.

So it was Rishid that had to deal with Marik's trauma.

"Rishid...Rishid!"

The soft, labored voice roused Rishid instantly from sleep. He shot straight up from his cot on the floor, ignoring the pain in his back. Marik was not in his bed; it took Rishid a moment to find the small, huddled shape in the corner.

The young Egyptian boy hugged his knes, violet eyes wide with terror.

"Rishid," he said again – it seemed to be the only word he could say.

Rishid crawled over to Marik. He touched his shoulder gently, but Marik jerked away. He wouldn't let anyone touch him – he hadn't for the past three days.

"What's wrong?" Rishid asked, feeling hurt but trying not to show it. "What happened?"

"I can hear him," Marik whispered. "The voice – the voice in my head. It's telling me that I killed father. It's telling me I should kill you. Rishid – I – I can't – s"

"You did not kill father," Rishid said firmly. "It wasn't your fault."

"I know," Marik said. "But it won't stop...whispering..."

He let out a strangled sob and buried his face in his knees.

"It's all his fault," Marik whispered. "It's the pharaoh's fault. If we weren't down here, that wouldn't have happened."

Rishid just wanted to come closer, be able to hold and comfort his younger brother. But Marik would not let him close. The pain in his back could not compare to the pain in his heart.

Marik looked up with teary eyes.

"Rishid, it's the pharaoh, right? The pharaoh is the one that's whispering to me. I can just tell."

"Marik..."

"No, it is! It has to be! He killed father and wants me to think I did it!"

He voice rose to a half-scream, rough with tears and terror.

"But he can't make me kill anyone! He can't make me! I won't let him! He doesn't control me! I – I'll kill him, I'll –"

For a moment, his eyes went cold and blank, and a terrible smile crossed his face. Rishid half stood.

"Get back," he said through gritted teeth. "Get away from Marik. I know you're in there. You can't control him. Do you hear me? Stay away from him!"

The blank eyes sneered at him, but as he came closer, the expression faded. Only the trembling, ten-year-old Marik remained. This time, Rishid would not let Marik push him away. He stepped forward and scooped the shivering boy into his arms. Marik struggled for a moment, sobbing protests and half-hearted order to be put down. Rishid paid no heed to him, until he finally quieted. For a moment, he sobbed into Rishid's shoulder.

"Rishid?" he said finally. "He...he stopped. He stopped talking to me. You...you can put me down now."

Rishid did not comply at first. He felt Marik's tiny, quick heartbeat against his own slow, purposeful heartbeat. He didn't want to put him down. He wanted to hold him forever, protect him forever against the evils in the world. He didn't want to leave his brother again. But Marik repeated his request again, this time as an order, and Rishid set the young boy down to his own feet.

"Marik. What now?" Rishid said. "What will we do?"

Marik stared at the floor. His fists were clenched and shaking.

"Rishid," he said. "If I left here, forever, would you...come with me?"

Rishid knelt down to one knee so that he was eye-level with Marik. He lifted the boy's chin so that their gazes met.

"And where will you go?" he asked softly.

For only the briefest moment, those blank, cold eyes flashed across Marik's.

"I'm going to find the pharaoh," Marik said. "And I'm going to kill him. Will you help me?"

Behind Marik's eyes, Rishid could see the dark Marik grinning maliciously. Marik would leave anyway. Even if Rishid didn't join him, he would go.

Rishid couldn't leave him to face his darkness on his own.

"I will follow you," he said.

_And I will not let you be controlled ever again._

A/N: Yami no Marik didn't really show up in this oneshot, except as glimpses, but I think it worked best that way. I love Marik...I feel so bad for him, considering he's the only one of the three Yami/Hikari pairs that is literally suffering from dissociative personality disorder. The other two are just possession cases, but Marik actually created a separate personality. Poor Marik. :( Next is Stubbornshipping (Honda x Seto). Gross...


	70. Stubbornshipping

_Stubbornshipping (Honda x Seto)_

_(Geez, what are you supposed to do with this one?)_

Seto could not for the life of him remember the boy's name, but he was sure he had seen him hanging around Yugi before. He didn't ever duel, though, or do anything else that was worth mentioning, so it was hard to remember him. Just his luck to get stuck in the same elevator with him; knowing Yugi and his friends, he would probably try to strike up a conversation.

But the spiky-haired teenager didn't speak either, although, when Seto snuck a side-long glance at him to make sure it was actually the person he thought it was, he found that he was also looking at him. They both looked away quickly.

_Damn. Now he's _definitely_ going to try to start a conversation. I shouldn't have made eye contact with him. Well, I'm certainly not going to be the first person to break the silence. What the hell is he doing in the marketing building, anyway?_

The silence grew ever longer, and Seto started to wonder if this was the guy he was thinking of anyway. Maybe it wasn't Yugi's friend. Maybe he was just imagining things. This upcoming meeting with the advertising company must be making him more irritable than he had thought. He just couldn't stop thinking.

The elevator paused, and the doors opened. This wasn't his floor, so Seto assumed the other boy was getting off here. But no, instead, an elderly woman wobbled into the elevator. She half-smiled at the two silent boys, and turned around to press the button for the next floor. The doors slid shut again, and the elevator continued onward. Well, he certainly wasn't going to be breaking the silence now.

For a long, infuriating moment, the silence in the elevator grew overpowering. Then the elevator stopped at the elderly woman's stop, and she shuffled towards the door. But her foot caught on the step, and she nearly toppled forward.

Yugi's friend got there first, catching the woman's arm before she sprawled across the floor.

"Oh, thank you dear," she said breathlessly. "I do that so often. Lucky for me you were here to catch me this time!"

"No problem," the boy said, leaning on the button to keep the doors open. "Do you need any more help? Where are you headed?"

"Oh, that's sweet of you, dear, but I think I'll be all right now."

And with that, she shuffled on. The boy hit the button to close the door, and the elevator continued on.

And still, neither one of them broke the silence. By the time they had almost reached the top floor, the awkwardness of the situation was so overwhelming that Seto wanted to punch something. Then suddenly, the doors slid open, and the boy headed out into the building.

And when they closed again...

"Honda. That was it. Hiroto Honda," Seto said suddenly to himself. "That's the guy that helped my brother back on Duelist Kingdom, isn't it?"

And the elevator continued on.

A/N: Ha, both of them were too stubborn to talk to each other. Elevators are so much fun. X3 Next is Stoicshipping (Priest Seto x Seto Kaiba). Weird...is that considered narcissism or incest?


	71. Stoicshipping

_Stoicshipping (Priest Seto x Seto Kaiba)_

_"I'll wait for you to come back."_

Seto awoke irritably. What time was it...three thirty in the morning? He should still be asleep. Work didn't start until six; he needed to get his rest while he could.

But as he turned over and tried to go back to sleep, he found that it was impossible. Instead, he found himself looking up at the blank ceiling, his thoughts wandering into places that he didn't want to visit.

His parents. The accident. The orphanage. Chess. Gozaburo. The mansion. His old, too big room in that mansion. The bloody knife hidden under the mattress in that room. The sliding door where he had left his shoes...and the balcony on the third floor of the mansion. Where he tried to end it all, once.

He didn't allow himself to swear, even under his breath. That would be admitting that the memories were getting to him.

_"I'll do whatever I must to be at your side again, my friend."_

And then there were the dreams. Ever since Battle City, he hadn't stopped having them. When he had heard Yugi was going to Egypt, they had grown more vivid, almost more urgent. They were unnerving, though he would never admit it to anyone.

He would be walking down long, stone corridors, the ceiling so high above him that it was lost in shadow. The walls on either side of him were carved in Egyptian hieroglyphs, interspersed with paintings.

And then he would come into a chamber, where he would see a boy sitting on a tall throne – he could never remember what the boy looked like when he woke up, but he always knew that he was oddly familiar. Beside him would be a taller boy, and no matter how many times he dreamed it, his dream-self was always shocked at what he saw. It was like looking into a mirror, albeit a mirror that tanned his skin and dressed him in the clothing of ancient Egypt.

Then he would see his mirror self with the familiar boy again. There would be other people around them, people that were smiling, comfortable around each other. He would see his mirror self in an archive of scrolls with an older man in a hood, who was explaining something about economics to him. Then an argument between his mirror self and a man with a pendant like a ring, which seemed about to end in blows. But then both of them calmed down, forgave each other, and tried to come to a conclusion in a more civilized way, because they were friends despite the friction between them. And he would pass through more and more scenes, seeing his mirror self with other people, and with the familiar boy again. Over and over.

And there was always something...nostalgic, almost jealous...like he was longing for this place, these people. During the dream, he wanted nothing more than to be there in place of his mirror self, standing with those people that he almost knew, next to the boy that was so familiar. Because he had been waiting so long to see that boy again. Waiting to see his friend again.

_"No matter how many lives I must live, I will wait for you."_

It was stupid. So stupid.

But as he lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, he suddenly found himself wishing he were anywhere but here. Wishing he could have lived any life but this one, this hell that he was always living in. Always alone, always tormented by the memories of things that had been taken from him. What was the point of his existence? All he did, all he _ever_ did was work. What was even important to him anymore? Had he ever known? His mirror self certainly seemed to know.

He rolled out of bed. Quietly, so that Mokuba wouldn't hear him from the room next door, he slipped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

He stared at himself in the mirror, trying to come to terms with what he saw there. He was only sixteen. What was he doing with himself? What was he doing with his life? Who was he? Why on earth was he choosing _now_ to ask these stupid metaphysical questions?

For a moment, he caught the flicker of movement in the corner of the mirror.

Maybe he was dreaming right now, because he wasn't surprised when he saw his mirror self appear in the mirror beside him.

_"Come on,"_ he said. _"What the hell do you think you're doing with yourself? Everyone else is here. They're all waiting on you. Stop being so selfish."_

And then he was gone.

Seto stared at his own blue eyes for a long, long moment. Maybe...

Maybe he would go to Egypt. He was looking...looking for them. He must have been a lot more tired than he thought, because he wasn't irritated with himself for thinking about the dream, for thinking about the people in it. Maybe he would look for them.

Maybe they really were waiting on him.

A/N: Nothing like a late night philosophical/metaphysical thought process, huh? :D I like following Seto's thought process, his memories, and his back story. It's so much fun to see what's going on up there. Although this pairing was extremely difficult to work with, because I feel that Seto and Priest Seto are pretty much the exact same person when you get right down to it...they have slightly different personalities, but that has to do with the way they grew up. Still, technically speaking, Seto is the direct reincarnation of Priest Seto, so there's very little difference. Next up is Stifleshipping (Yami no Marik x Noa).


	72. Stifleshipping

_Stifleshipping (Noa x Yami no Marik)_

_(Creepy...so what would happen if Noa had run into Yami no Marik just after stealing Mokuba's body?)_

The throat of Noa's stolen body was parched and rough – it was an unnatural feeling. In the virtual body he was accustomed to, he never had such uncomfortable sensations. The unwanted side effects of emotions and pain were deprogrammed from his identity.

That was certainly not the case now.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the looming, tan-skinned man said with a malicious sneer. "A little lost lamb, perhaps?"

Noa's mouth flapped open and closed silently. He couldn't figure out what to say, what to do – instincts that he didn't know he had were screaming at him to run away as fast as he could. For a moment, he tried to manipulate the world around him and erase the code of the being standing before him; but he realized in the back of his mind that this was the real world now. There was no data to manipulate.

"Cat got your tongue, hm?"

Without warning, a knife flashed out from the folds of his cloak. Noa yelped and jumped back, but the knife came nowhere near him. Instead, the tall boy twirled it absently between his fingers, considering Noa with flat, malicious violet eyes. Once again, Noa tried to access the data of the world he had left. It was no use: he could not access the data about the Battle City finalists that he had downloaded previously.

It was terrifying to realize just how helpless he really was in the real world.

"It's strange," the violet-eyed boy said. As he spoke, he moved forward until he had Noa backed up against a wall. "You look like Kaiba's brat of a brother. But you're certainly not him."

"How could you possibly know that?" Noa spat, trying to regain some of his old venom.

The figure just grinned, and flicked the tip of his knife to rest on Noa's throat. Noa froze up, literally unable to make himself move. Slowly, the taller boy traced the edge of the knife across Noa's throat and up the side of his face. There was nowhere to go. Nowhere to run.

"I'm more observant than people like to believe," he said. "They all think, oh, it's Marik's dark half. He's just a bloodthirsty killer that can't think past the thrill of murder."

He gave a short bark of laughter that sent Noa's blood running cold.

"It's an impression I enjoy cultivating," he continued. "I realized you were someone entirely different in a moment. Your eyes and bearing are much different than Mokuba's."

"Go – get away," Noa stammered. "I'm warning you."

With a terrifying grin, the maniacal figure just leaned in until Noa come feel warm breath against his face.

"Or what?" he said softly, as the knife pressed a little harder against Noa's throat.

Noa's hand brushed against a panel. Survival instincts kicked in.

He slammed his hand into the panel, breaking the glass and striking the red button beneath. Instantly, the room was awash in red light and the scream of sirens. In the moment of the boy's distraction, Noa made use of Mokuba's small, nimble body to wriggle underneath him and fly down the hallway.

Behind him, security bots rolled out of the hollows in the wall that had opened in response to the alarm.

The crunching of metal, the rupping of wires, and the maniacal laugh of the terrifying boy followed him in an echo down the corridor. Noa didn't stop until he was safely inside the control room, with a set of reinforced steel doors locked tightly behind him.

Who _was_ that? What kind of psychopaths did Seto allow in his tournament?

He shook his head firmly, and was surprised for a moment by the long black locks that snapped around his face. He would have to get used to that. Or maybe get a haircut.

Anyway, it didn't matter who the maniac was. He was just one more reason to blow this island off the face of the earth as soon as possible.

A/N: It was hard to find a way for these two to meet, but I think it worked out well. Yami no Marik is so crazy sadistic and terrifying...which makes him so much fun to write. XD Next is Stepshipping (Noa x Mokuba).


	73. Stepshipping

_Stepshipping (Noa x Mokuba)_

It was a miracle. Seto insisted that it was only a miracle of scientific ingenuity, but Mokuba knew better.

This was magic. This was a real miracle.

The young boy peered into the room, barely peeking around the oaken door. It was large, for a guest room, and it had the biggest windows in the house. Since no one was quite sure which room had been Noa's originally, Mokuba had insisted that he go in the room with the biggest windows.

_When he wakes up, he'll want lots of light, _he had thought. _He'll want to know that he's alive._

Noa's sleeping form was painted in soft, pastel colors by the rising sun. He looked very peaceful, his green hair falling gently over his closed eyes. Mokuba tip toed into the room, closing the door behind him. Seto didn't like it when Mokuba went to visit Noa. He thought it was a waste of time to be sitting at someone's bedside, waiting for them to wake up. He would wake up when he was ready, not when someone was staring at him. Besides, Seto still didn't really like Noa. He didn't say so, but Mokuba could tell.

But Mokuba knew that it was important to stay at someone's side, especially when they were sick. Seto never realized how many hours Mokuba had spent next to him while he had been nothing more than a vegetable in a wheelchair. He wouldn't understand what it felt like to be waiting for someone to wake up.

Mokuba slipped into the big chair next to the bed. They had found him in the graveyard, almost two weeks ago. Seto was convinced that he was the result of some form of cloning, and didn't believe that Noa would remember anything about the digital world. He would be someone entirely different when he woke up. Mokuba, of course, knew better. He just had to wait...a little longer...

He felt his eyelids drooping, and he rested his head on his hands. He had sneaked in here last night at midnight, telling the sleeping Noa stories about what had happened since the digital world. Mokuba really hoped that Noa could hear. Maybe he was having dreams about it...right now...

Mokuba was fast asleep when Noa awoke.

There was a dream trapped in his eyes, even when he had opened them, he was sure he was still inside of it. One moment, he had been running across the street. The next moment, he had been watching his father through a screen, and listening to the people around him glitch and repeat themselves.

And now...now where was he?

The bed was warm. That was no surprise. It always was. The sun was shining through the tall windows. Again, no surprise. His virtual world had been made perfectly.

But...hadn't it ended? Hadn't his entire world been destroyed?

"Father..." he whispered. "I remember...oh...why, father? Why...?"

Tears bubbled up and down his cheeks. He found that his throat was constricted, and there was a tightness in his chest that he did not remember. Slowly, he sat up, trying to bite back the sobs. But they wouldn't stop – why was he still alive? Was it even life, to be suspended in a virtual world alone, never to grow up, never to actually make contact with another real person? To live on knowing that his father had completely and totally abandoned him?

Or maybe...just maybe...everything had been a dream. Maybe the accident, the digital world, maybe it was all a dream! After all, having one's brain uploaded into a computer was certainly far-fetched. And then where had that card game come from? Certainly fantastical, it could have been a dream.

With hope fluttering in his chest, he started to struggle out of the covers.

And then he saw Mokuba.

The boy sat deep in the armchair, his head resting on his hands, fast asleep. Slow, regular breaths caused his chest to rise and fall.

Was he still dreaming? Was he still in the virtual world? Or was he dead? Was he in heaven, or in hell?

Carefully, so as not to wake Mokuba, he slid out of the bed. If this was real...if he was really alive...

There was one thing that had never been truly real about the digital world.

Noa padded, barefoot, over to the windows. A splinter of wood protruded from the sill, and he pried out the sharp wood. He raised the piece above his free hand, and, after a breath, plunged it down into the flesh of his hand.

A burst of pain and blood met his strike, and he gasped. He yanked the wood from his hand and a fresh burst of pain washed over him. He cradled his hand against his chest, and watched as a drop of blood slid down his hand and dripped three spots onto the white carpet.

"Noa?"

Noa started at the voice. Mokuba was awake, staring at him with wide eyes. After a beat, while they held each other's gazes, Mokuba flew out of his chair and ran to Noa.

"Noa! You're awake! Thank goodness! Wait – what...what did you do to your hand?"

Noa felt the beginnings of tears pricking at his eyes. He slowly, shakily raised his bloody hand.

"I...never bled...or felt pain...in the digital world," he said. "Mokuba...this is real, isn't it?"

And then he dropped to his knees and began to cry.

And for the first time in his life, he was not ashamed of his tears.

A/N: AAAAAA! I love Noa! 8D I generally hate filler of all kinds, but I love Noa so much because he's so cute and adorable and tragic and has so much room to grow and and and *deep breath* Okay, I'm okay now. Still, I really, really like the idea of a brotherly bond between Mokuba and Noa, rather than a romantic one. This story can really go either way; take it as you will. Next up is Steelshipping (Keith x Yami no Bakura). …I have a bad feeling about this…


	74. Stolenshipping

_Stolenshipping (Marik x Anzu x Yami no Bakura)_

_(can't believe I almost missed this one! By the way, does anyone know if there's a Yami no Marik x Anzu x Yami no Bakura? I don't see one on my list but I have a scene idea for it...)_

If he was absolutely honest with himself, he had always rather admired Anzu Mazaki. From the moment Marik had tried to control her, he had nearly been repulsed by the sheer force of her will. Keeping control had been no easy task: her soul was on fire with dreams and loyalty. It had both intrigued and annoyed him.

Today, however, with the echoes of Battle City long behind him, he was only admiring.

She was only one of the many reasons he was standing in the middle of a street in Domino, trying to read the kanji on his map that would lead him to Domino High School. The days in Egypt did not run as smoothly as he had hoped; he was still tormented at night by memories of the things his alter persona had forced him to do, and more importantly, the things that he had done of his own free will. Ishizu had suggested that it might do him good to see Yugi and the others again. So here he was, dressed in a Domino High uniform ready to start his temporary exchange program – but completely lost.

_Maybe I should ask for directions,_ he thought. _I wonder if my Japanese is still passable._

He wandered down the street, trying to find a sign of some kind. He turned the map left and right in his hands.

And as he passed an alleyway, he caught the sound of pounding footsteps –

A mass barreled into him and he went flying onto the pavement with a whoosh of breath leaving his lungs. The catalyst of the collision had landed on top of him.

A soft, feminine gasp caught his ear, and the figure scrambled off of him.

"Marik? Marik-san, is that you?"

With a groan, Marik pushed himself up. It took a moment for him to refocus his mind. Then he realized that Anzu Mazaki was looking down at him, brown eyes huge with concern.

"Mazaki-san? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Why are you wearing Domino's uniform?" Anzu asked.

And then she paused. Her eyes darted behind her.

"No, never mind, I don't have time – come on, we've got to go!"

She grabbed Marik's hand, yanked him to his feet, and started to run. Marik stumbled for a few feet before he managed to fall into step with her – his wrist was still stuck in Anzu's grip as they barreled down the street.

"Mazaki? Anzu! What is going on?!"

She didn't have the breath to answer, and they attracted many a stare as they wove in and out of crowds of people. Anzu didn't seem inclined to stop. She chose random rights, lefts, complete u-turns, feinted turns one way and then shooting in the opposite direction.

His wrist was starting to slip from her grip; her palm felt slick with sweat.

And then she finally slowed to a stop. Her grip slid from him, and the pair bent over gasping to catch their breath.

"Mazaki – what – on earth – is going on?" Marik panted.

Anzu gulped down air, unable to answer. It was only then that Marik noticed the blood.

A crimson line trailed down her forehead from somewhere under her sweat matted hair. Her school uniform was a mess, the bow was missing and the jacket half undone, with rips and tears lining the sleeves and the edge of her skirt. A red stain showed through on her shoulder.

Instantly, Marik was alert. He straightened right up and grabbed her good shoulder so that he could turn her to face him.

"Hold still – that looks bad," he said. "What on earth happened to you?"

Anzu took another gulp of air, presumably to answer, but then her brown eyes widened.

"Behind you –"

He felt a pain explode in his side and instinctively jumped forward. Anzu nearly fell over in the motion, but whatever had pierced Marik slid out with a painful squelch. Anzu screamed. Ignoring the pain in his side, Marik turned to face –

"Well, isn't this a happy reunion," Yami no Bakura said with a smooth malice. "Good morning, Marik Ishtar. How are you? Don't bother asking me; we both know what it's like to be left behind in the shadows."

The warmth of blood was starting to dull Marik's senses. He pushed the sensation aside – this wasn't the first time he had been stabbed in a vital area. He had to remain calm.

The situation didn't look good for them. They had managed to run themselves into a corner – behind them was the end of an alley. In front of them was Yami no Bakura, who was quite calmly wiping Marik's blood off of his knife with the edge of his black jacket.

"I didn't expect to see you again," Marik said. Maybe if he could keep Yami no Bakura talking, he could sidle over and grab that trash can lid...

"Of course you didn't," Yami no Bakura said. "Why else would you have broken our alliance, and left me to die in the shadows? You decided to become a goody-two-shoes, give the Rod to the pharaoh although you expressly promised it to me, and thought you wouldn't have to deal with the consequences."

_That's it...keep talking...don't pay attention to me..._

"Although," he said softly. "I think I've mostly gotten over that. After all, you've actually helped me, in the end. Now the Items are all in one place. However..."

Marik was just within reach of the garbage lid. As soon as he had it, he would be able to use it as a shield and ram his way through –

Without warning, Yami no Bakura flashed forward. In an instant, Marik was pinned against the wall by his throat, a knife hovering in front of his face.

"I cannot forgive you for meddling right now," Bakura said. "You see, Anzu and I were in the middle of a very important conversation, which you so rudely interrupted."

"Get off of him!" Anzu screamed.

She threw herself at Bakura, trying to drag him off of Marik. In a fluid motion, Bakura threw Marik to the ground, grabbed Anzu's arms, and in an instant had his own arms wrapped around her and his knife pressed against her exposed throat.

"You _bastard_ –" Marik choked through the pain.

Bakura just laughed shortly. But despite Anzu's unfavorable position, Marik could catch no glint of fear in her eyes. All he could see was a burning, fiery defiance.

It was that expression that gave him the strength to push himself up. He braced his back against the wall and shoved upwards until he was finally standing straight again.

"Leave her alone, Bakura," he said. "She doesn't have anything to do with this."

"On the contrary, Marik," Yami no Bakura said, flicking the knife so that it's tip traced Anzu's cheeks ever so delicately. "You see, I've grown rather fond of dear little Anzu. And I won't allow you to get in between me and what I want ever again."

"And I'm not about to let some psychotic dark spirit run my life again," Marik snapped. "Get your hands off of her."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy? Ah, how the plot thickens."

And then suddenly, Bakura was stumbling backwards, the barest hint of shock flickering across his face. Marik could hardly believe his eyes – in a blurred motion, Anzu had peeled back Bakura's pinky finger, relieved him of his knife, and sent him backwards, holding the knife out in front of her.

"Go away," she said, arms trembling – though if from fear or anger, it was hard to tell. "Don't ever _ever_ put your hands on me ever again."

Bakura's violet eyes remained wide and shocked for only the briefest moment longer. Then they crinkled with a sadistic mirth, and he laughed softly.

"You know, Anzu," he said. "It's amusing how your resistance only makes me want you more. Very well, I shall retreat for the time being...but be careful, Anzu. Even I am not sure how far I'll go to claim you."

His eyes shifted to meet Marik's, and his smile changed to one of sarcasm.

"It was such a pleasure meeting you again, Marik Ishtar," he said, with a mocking bow. "But don't get too attached to my dear Anzu...you may have stolen her from me for now...but it is not wise to steal from a thief."

And with a final, echoing laugh, he turned in a flip of his black cloak and vanished, leaving only shaken confidences behind him.

A/N: I feel like I should have added a little bit more to the end there, but I didn't really want to end it on a satisfactory note. I might recycle the scene for a Anzu-centric fanfiction I'm considering working on. :3 Okay, well now that that one has been completed out of order, the next one is Steelshipping (Yami no Bakura x Keith). ...I have a feeling that blood will be spilled in this one...and it's not gonna be Bakura's.


	75. Steelshipping

_Steelshipping (Keith x Yami no Bakura)_

Yami no Bakura was accustomed to being three steps ahead of everyone else. He reveled in the fact that he always knew more than everyone else, how he could nudge people into the directions he chose in order to further his own plans. Nothing surprised him. And when it did, he was rarely happy about it – "rarely happy" being the nice way to put it.

Needless to say, he was not happy to find that Bandit Keith Howard was still alive, and standing in between him and the door that would take him to Pegasus.

The American was scruffy, his eyes red-rimmed and wild from his encounter with a Penalty Game. He moved with a pronounced stagger. It would be exceedingly easy to throw him off balance with a well-placed push.

However, that tightly held gun was something to consider. Yami no Bakura hated when his opponents added variables into the equations.

"You," Bandit Keith said, madness glinting in his eyes. "I saw you – with Yugi. With that runny nose teenage brat and his effing bleached hair friend."

"Yes, yes, may we get to the point, please?" Bakura said, eying the gun with distaste. He hated the loud, unwieldy weaponry of this time period. Not only did it put him at a significant disadvantage when he faced armed opponents, but he had also had very little luck in teaching himself to use one. The confounded thing was less straightforward than the easy flick of a knife, but his choice of weapon was becoming quickly obsolete in this day and age.

Bandit Keith waved the gun back and forth, back and forth, as though he had forgotten it was there.

"You – you and Yugi, and Jonouchi, and all you sniveling brats – you all took it from me, everything! And you – I saw you. I saw your beady little eyes, glaring out like you knew everything, looking down quickly when anybody tried to have a look at you – you're nowhere close to normal. None of you are – you're just like him! You're all just like Pegasus the freak!"

Bakura's hand tightened on the hilt of the blade he held behind his back. A moment. That was all he needed. One brief instant of distraction, and Keith would be finished.

But Bakura quite frustratingly forgot to take into account Keith's unpredictably.

Suddenly, there was a hole in the ceiling and plaster was falling on Bakura's head. As the crack of the gun With a snarl, he shot forward – unfeeling artificial light glinted against steel – Keith's arm flailed out and Bakura ducked. But the edge of the gun clipped him on the side of the temple and he stumbled. A dizziness overtook him for a brief moment as he cursed the mortal body he was tied to.

A gun barrel appeared in his face, shaking wildly. Bakura shook off the dizziness and unwillingly gathered a fistful of dark magic.

Instantly, the room was plunged into darkness – but Bakura had no need of a light. While Keith stumbled backwards, swearing loudly and freely, Bakura slid through the inky blackness. And with one fluid motion, like a claw of the shadows themselves, he flicked his knife across Keith's throat.

Keith's swears abruptly cut off. The thump of the body against the floor was muffled, as Bakura had already disappeared through the door.

His act of murder had already slipped his mind by the time he reached Pegasus.

A/N: Bakura is cruel, merciless, and ruthless. This is why I don't generally appreciate people trying to seriously pair him with someone else (_especially _Ryo). I think this is the first "onstage" death thus far in the series. Considering Bakura and Marik have been in a lot of oneshots before this, I'm kind of surprised. Next up is Staticshipping (Possessed Jonouchi x Pandora). …...does anyone actually ship that?


	76. Staticshipping

_Staticshipping (Possessed Jonouchi x Pandora)_

_(Pandora is Arcana, the magician Rare Hunter in case any of you weren't sure. Well, here goes nothing...)_

Ugh. Head...head was buzzing. Couldn't think past...the static...

There was nothing to do except keep walking. That was what he was supposed to do...he thought so, anyway. It was hard to tell with all the static in his head, like a television set that had lost its signal.

There were a few thoughts bouncing around in his head, but they weren't his. He was coherent enough to realize that. A few scattered images here, a snippet of conversation there. Though he couldn't have said for sure, he thought they were coming from the static itself. Like maybe someone had put that static there, and maybe in other people's heads too, and those random thoughts from those people had gotten caught between the fuzzy white and black lines and dots on the screen.

For a moment, the screen flickered, and it was like a channel had finally come through. For only a split second there was a terrible cry, a heart-wrenching pain in his head like all he had ever wanted in life was gone, yanked right out from under his feet. There was a smiling face, a burst of pain across his own face, and then a terrible, terrible madness enclosing his mind as he reached out for the fragment of that smiling face one last time, before the static enveloped and drowned him.

But it only lasted a split second.

And then his own static resumed, and he kept shuffling along. Those weren't his thoughts, anyway. And _he_ hadn't succumbed to the static yet.

A/N: well, just a really (REALLY) short glance into possessed Jonouchi's mind, with flickers of Marik's previous victims fluttering through his mind...and I totally stole inspiration from the shipping name for this one. ^-^ Next up is Startleshipping (Keith x Anzu).


	77. Startleshipping

_Startleshipping (Keith x Anzu)_

She was just looking for a bathroom, but all the hallways confused her, especially in the dark. She wasn't expecting to run across anyone at this time of night – if anyone, she thought she might see Pegasus, and that was as unnerving a thought as any.

So she was startled when she came around a corner and smacked into "Bandit" Keith Howard.

"Hey, watch where you're going," Keith snapped, blowing a breath of alcohol and cigarette smoke in her face.

Though she probably should have been worried about being in a dark hallway with this obviously unstable man, Anzu only felt irritated. Not only did she have to use the bathroom so bad she was going to explode, but now she had to deal with this guy.

"Well, excuse me for not being able to see through walls," she said, taking a step back to put some distance between her and his alcohol breath. "What are you even doing out here? It's two o'clock in the morning."

"I could ask you the same thing, kid," Keith said.

"I happen to be looking for a bathroom. Somehow, I doubt you have such an innocent errand."

Keith laughed harshly and took another draw on his cigarette.

"Well, somebody's feeling bitchy tonight," he said in English.

"I'm not stupid; I know what that means," Anzu replied, also in English.

Keith just grinned and flicked his cigarette butt at her. She jumped back, wary of the glowing hint of fire at its tip. The American man ground the butt under his foot.

"Looks like all of Yugi's friends are smartasses," Keith said. "Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow kiddie – when I take your friend Blondie to school."

He laughed again and disappeared around the corner. Anzu glared at the spot he had been a moment before. Then she returned to her search for a bathroom.

_Geez, if I didn't have to go so badly, I think I would have slapped him,_ she thought. _Huh. I'm surprised at how bad of a mood he put me in._

A/N: Somehow, I get the feeling Anzu would act like this around Keith. I also get the feeling that she's very smart and works hard in school, and since English is a required class in Japanese schools, she would know enough English to be able to understand Keith. Okay this was really short, but I'm really starting to lose my fire and inspiration for some of these pairings. Luckily, I have an idea for the next one...it's out of order, but I was just informed of it and due to my obsessions it must be done: Succumbshipping (Yami Marik x Anzu x Yami Bakura). :D


	78. Succumbshipping

_Succumbshipping (Yami Marik x Anzu x Yami Bakura)_

_(This is another scene that I may recycle for another, longer fanfiction.)_

It was so, so dark in the corridor. It was just her, her racing heart, and her clammy hands feeling their way down the dark stone wall. Anzu Mazaki tried to quiet her breaths, as though that alone would make her invisible. Because she knew, while she could not see in the darkness, there were things here that could...

She didn't remember how she had gotten here. The last thing she remembered was sitting on Yugi's bed, waiting for him to come upstairs. He had to help his mother finish cleaning the kitchen, and then he would be right up. And then..._he _had appeared...

A shudder ran down her spine, and her wrists itched with the memory of the rope she had just managed to escape from. This mysterious castle was exactly where she would imagine Bakura to live in...though she wasn't entirely sure where _here_ was. They could have easily be in Canada as they were in Japan. It was hard to remember much beyond the twisting shadows that Bakura had pushed her into with a laugh...

She shook her head with a sharp jerk. It didn't matter where here was, she had to get out of here, before Bakura realized that she had escaped. Otherwise...she didn't know what.

She crept around the corner, and was nearly blinded by the light of a fire. For a moment, her heart jumped into her throat, convinced that she had been found out. Then she realized that the light was coming from a torch in a bracket above her, and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. This hallway was well lit as compared to the last one. It stretched out for who knows how long, with old, faded paintings on the brown stone walls and the ratty remains of a carpet on the floor.

She sucked in a steadying breath, and took one step out onto the carpet.

A door creaked open, slowly, just a few feet away from her. Her heart nearly exploded with terror, and she started to wheel backwards into the safety of the shadows –

And Yami no Marik appeared in the hallway. A tall, tan shadow, eerily illuminated by the flickering light of the torches so that his spiked hair appeared to be on fire. The Millennium Rod gleamed in his hand, held loosely. Easily. He glanced down the hallway, and then towards the shadows where Anzu was desperately trying to hide. Pupil-less violet eyes raked the darkness like the eyes of a predator.

For a long, terrifying moment, he remained in the hallway, looking slightly confused – like he had caught the scent of something that he couldn't quiet place. Then with a snap of his black cape, he disappeared back into the room. The door clicked softly behind him.

Anzu swallowed through a dry throat, the small sound like a hurricane in her pounding ears.

This was even worse than she had thought.

She hugged the corner for a long moment, trying to steel herself. If she moved quickly and quietly enough, she could sneak past that door and perhaps duck into the next one. Maybe she could find a window – there hadn't been one in the room Bakura had left her in. That could be her ticket out.

These thoughts were all that kept her brain under control as she carefully took one step, and then another, across the thin red carpet.

There was the door. She was passing it. There, it was behind her. The next door was just within reach...the intricate bronze knob was just under her fingertips...

And then the door behind her flew open. Anzu yelped, grabbing for the handle – but it wouldn't turn! It was locked!

And then a pair of rough hands grabbed her by the shoulders and whipped her around, pushing her up against the uselessly closed door.

Marik's sharp violet eyes met hers with a malicious glint.

"I thought I heard a little creature sneaking around out here," he said. "Well, well, well. Anzu. What brings you out here?"

"Get away from me!" Anzu said.

She tried to duck under one of the arms he was using to fence her in, but his other hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat, holding her fast against the door. She gasped, as he squeezed just hard enough to make it difficult to breathe.

"Going so soon? We've barely had time to chat," he said with a sneer.

"You – _bastard_ _– _let – go –"

"And let you run away again? Now what would be the fun in that, Anzu-chan?"

Already the knife had appeared from his cloak, and the golden blade traced the line of her cheekbone.

_Oh God – I'm going to die._

"Marik. Let go of her."

The soft, dangerous voice might have been the sound of the shadows itself. Yami no Marik's eyes flicked away from Anzu at the same time as Anzu's eyes.

Yami no Bakura stood at the entrance of the hallway. His black cloak swooped outwards, nearly blending into the shadows behind him, while his mass of white hair almost seemed to glow against the black.

"Ah. Bakura," Yami no Marik said, loosening his grip on Anzu's throat. "I wasn't expecting you back for a while."

"Plans change," Yami no Bakura said with a shrug. "Now, I believe I asked you to step away from Anzu."

Anzu's breaths came in short, suffocating gasps that had nothing to do with the hand on her throat. She was trapped – trapped between two madmen that looked like they were about to slit each other's throats.

Then Yami no Marik's hand released her throat, and Anzu fell to the ground in surprise. Her breath did not slow down – she was going to hyperventilate. Yami no Marik laughed, the sound echoing harshly across the dim corridor.

"How very fascinating, Bakura," he said, baring his teeth in a grin that did not reach his eyes. "So you brought little Anzu here? That was not part of the plan – at least, not part of the plan I knew of."

"You know what I want you to know, Marik. You were under no illusions when you chose to work with me," Yami no Bakura said with a wave of his hand. "I gave you a body of your own, and you help me. In return, you get to kill things. That's what you want, is it not? Now please, step away from Anzu."

Marik grinned again. He folded his arms, the Millennium Rod gleaming in the light.

"What if I say no?"

Bakura's purple eyes flashed, and Anzu could have sworn she saw the shadows _move_. The stare off lasted for a long, long moment. Anzu could have run away – well, she could have if she knew they didn't have supernatural powers. But the buzz of building power in the air kept her fastened to the ground. She wasn't sure if she could have moved if she wanted to.

Finally, Bakura broke the silence.

"Anzu. Come here," he said. "Unless you would prefer the company of Marik...?"

Anzu still could not move. But as Marik sent the flash of a malicious grin at her, she suddenly knew that staying here was the worse option.

She scrambled to her feet, nearly falling over again due to the trembling in her legs, and shakily walked over to Bakura.

Bakura half-smiled, but there was a hint of annoyance in that smile. Anzu wasn't sure if it was at her, or Marik. And she didn't want to find out. He grabbed her by the wrist and turned her around, so that she was facing Marik again.

Marik flashed a grin at her.

"Don't think that I'll forget she's here, Bakura," he said. "And don't forget that I think she's just as interesting as you do."

Then with a final laugh, he disappeared into the room from where he had came.

Bakura turned Anzu to face him again. He took her chin and forced her to look up at him, into his deep purple eyes.

"Naughty Anzu," he said softly. "Roaming this castle alone is a dangerous idea."

"Anything is better than being stuck with you," Anzu said, trying to regain some semblance of defiance.

This time, Bakura's smile was as it usually was: dark and amused.

"You may say that, Anzu-chan," he said. "But you chose me over Marik."

"Marik would have killed me," she said.

"And I won't?"

A flutter of terror was born in Anzu's chest. She found her tongue frozen in her mouth, and she could not do anything as Bakura pressed his lips against hers.

He drew back, licking his lips.

"Do you know what I call that, Anzu?" he said.

Anzu couldn't reply.

"Progress."

A/N: It's so dark and creepy and awesome and eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*I'm sorry, we are experiencing technical difficulties. Wait one moment, please, while we neutralize the fangirl squealing* Okay, I'm okay now. So this scene might appear in another fanfiction I'm considering writing (once I finish a few other things I'm working on) with Anzu as the main character. It will be the first fanfiction I write without OCs or a crossover plot. I'm kind of excited! :D Next up is Starshipping (Yami no Yugi x Otogi/Duke x Seto). Sheez, what am I gonna do with that? And how on earth can I top this?


	79. Starshipping

_Starshipping (Yami no Yugi x Otogi/Duke x Seto)_

_(And what, pray tell, am I supposed to do with this? Oh, and if you've never read the manga, you may be confused by some of Otogi/Duke Devlin's backstory.)_

Otogi absent-mindedly tossed a die into the air, catching it, throwing it, catching it, throwing it, creating a beat in his mind. Sometime in there, a second die joined the first, so that one was always in the air even as he caught the other one. Boredom sucked. Even despite the size of his game shop, he hadn't gotten many customers for a while now. And...

He snuck a glance back where that door used to be. Of course, it wasn't there anymore, he knew that. He had been careful to erase if from the blueprints when the builders reconstructed the shop after the fire. Still, it was too soon. Too soon to start thinking about his father...his crazy, grudge-holding father, who had tried to make Otogi get revenge by stealing Yugi's Millennium Puzzle and playing a game against him, and then gone mad trying to solve the Millennium Puzzle himself, dying in the blaze when he knocked a candle over and set the whole game shop alight...

He shook his head firmly. Right. Too soon. It was too soon to think about.

The door jingled. Otogi dropped both of his dice in surprise, and the one that was still in the air landed on his head before clattering to the floor.

"All I'm saying, Kaiba, is that maybe you need to find a different hobby. Something you can do with your brother, or something. Have you ever tried Capsule Monsters?"

"Yugi, trying to beat you is _not_ a hobby. It's a challenge and a calling."

"See, this is why you need to find something else to do. You're obsessive."

"What – I am _not_ obsessive! I should duel you for that!"

"_This _is what I'm talking about. Here, look, Capsule Monsters. This one kind of looks like a Blue Eyes, right? Doesn't it make you want to play?"

"...Shut up, Yugi. Just shut up."

The voices were familiar, and Otogi slid out from behind the desk. He knew he should have moved that shelf from obscuring the door – stupid employees, moving things without asking.

He came around the corner, and sure enough, there was Yugi Mutou and Seto Kaiba arguing in front of the Capsule Monsters display.

Yugi noticed him first.

"Oh, hey Otogi-san," he said. "How are you?"

"What are you guys doing here?" Otogi said, trying not to sound too surprised. After all, Yugi had his grandpa's shop to go to, and Kaiba...well, Kaiba probably ordered everything he wanted from special overseas companies, just because he could.

"I'm trying to get him to do something other than challenge me to a duel," Yugi said, jerking a thumb at Kaiba. "It's getting annoying."

"Well, if you'd just stop being such an insufferable idiot with all your friendship stuff getting shoved in my face, maybe I would stop," Kaiba snapped.

Yugi rolled his red-tinted eyes over-dramatically, presumably to draw out a reaction from Kaiba, which succeeded. The young C.E.O. Growled under his breath and folded his arms, a visible blood vessel pulsing in his face.

"So, uh," Otogi said, feeling thrown for a loop. "Can I help you guys find anything?"

"No," Kaiba said, at the same time as Yugi said, "yeah, do you have a Monster World section?"

"Oh, yeah, it's down around the corner, next to the Monster Fighter stuff," Otogi said.

"Oh, Monster Fighter," Yugi said, his eyes lighting up. "I haven't played that in a while. Maybe I'll get a new avatar."

Yugi started off down the aisle, and after a brief moment, Kaiba grumbled something under his breath and followed.

"Have you ever considered playing Monster World, Kaiba? Mokuba started playing with us last week. It's fun, and there's really no winning or losing."

"I'm telling you, Yugi, I just want to beat you at Duel Monsters and that's _it –_"

Otogi sighed, and returned to his desk. If only he had someone to argue with all the time. Maybe it would make life that much less boring.

A/N: Okay, it was so stupid and crap, but I had more fun than is possibly legal with it. :D Arguments are good stuff. Next is Standshipping (Rishid x Jonouchi).


	80. Standshipping

_Standshipping (Rishid x Jonouchi)_

His first thought when he hopped up onto the battle field was: _that's not Marik._ But it was a stupid thought, and he didn't know why it popped into his head. Of course this was Marik. He was waving that stupid Millennium Rod around like he was trying to scare him. Not that that was gonna work – Katsuya Jonouchi didn't scare easily.

But still...what was it? What was it that felt off? It was like something wasn't quite clicking. But he shrugged the thought aside and kept playing. And yet...it didn't take long for him to forget who he was playing. It didn't take long for what was at stake to slip from his mind. He knew he shouldn't be, but he was actually having fun! This tall, tan-skinned man played like a master, and not a single underhanded trick tainted his game. It took all of Jonouchi's skill and thoughts to play him – it was the most exhilarating game he had ever played in his life!

"You know what...I don't think you're actually Marik."

He had such a bright spirit, that boy. A fiery, fighter's spirit that Rishid couldn't help but admire. He took care to hide these thoughts from Marik, but it grew harder and harder as the game continued. The bleach-blond boy was one of the most challenging opponents he had had in all his time on the surface. Even in spite of Marik's assurance that this would be an easy duel, the young boy was giving Rishid a hard time of it.

It was the kind of game, the kind of personality, that just made Rishid want to smile.

"You know what...I don't think you're actually Marik."

For some reason, he was not shocked by these words. He felt guilty, though, because he knew why the boy had figured it out. Rishid had put his soul into this game. He had allowed himself to bleed through, instead of continuing to emulate Marik.

He couldn't help it; Jonouchi was such an intriguing player. He wanted to be himself when he faced Katsuya Jonouchi.

And that's why he wasn't worried when the lightning of Ra struck him down, when the last thing he saw was a mere glimpse of Marik's shocked, almost hurt face, and the worried faces of Jonouchi and Yugi. If Yugi was at all like his friend, perhaps...perhaps...Marik could be saved.

But in spite of his trust in Jonouchi's fire, he did not reveal his name before he blacked out.

Because, in the end, he was only a shadow of Marik.

A/N: Well...I think I'm losing my touch. And that's really all I have to say about this one. Next up is Stalkshipping (Kaiba x Ryo x Miho). Oh, and I would like to let you all know: if you have a favorite shipping, even if its not coming up, and it's not a particularly popular one (e.g. Puzzleshipping, Puppyshipping, etc), then let me know so I can make sure it's on my list. I've almost missed a couple of good ones, so I don't want to miss your favorite. Even if it's not coming up any time soon, let me know so I can either confirm that it's on the list or add it. And that's it, so have a lovely weekend!


	81. Stalkshipping

_Stalkshipping (Ryo x Miho x Kaiba)_

_(I'm gonna use Miho's manga personality and biography, because I have more room to make stuff up with that. ;D)_

"Nosaka-san, where does this box go?"

"Oh, put it behind the desk. Thank you, Bakura-kun; I'll sort the books out tomorrow."

"No problem," Ryo Bakura said.

Miho blushed slightly as the white haired boy walked away with the box of books. He was such a gentleman. He had seen her struggling with boxes of books from the hallway, just a little tidying up before Miho closed the school library, and he had come to help without being asked.

She smiled happily to herself as she turned back to the bookshelf in front of her. Bakura-kun had to be one of the nicest boys she had ever met. She wished she could get to know him better...maybe she would ask him if he was busy after this.

The thought was entertaining, but she knew deep down that she'd never have the guts to ask him.

She slid the last book into place when she hear the door open quietly.

_Hm? A student? But no one comes in the school library at this hour...we're about to close up._

She stood up and brushed off her skirt. Soft footsteps came down the shelves in the aisle next to her. If she peeked through the spines of the books, she might be able to see who it was. But she felt her face flushing at the thought of spying on someone, so instead she tiptoed to the end of her aisle and came around the corner.

Shock jumped through her veins. Seto Kaiba was standing in front of the bookshelves, looking intently at the ancient history section. One long finger ran slowly down the spines, and his lips moved silently as though he were sounding out each title.

Miho swallowed, feeling unnaturally nervous. She shouldn't be so uneasy; after all, Kaiba-san was just another student in her class. Still...he was so intimidating, with his sharp blue eyes and overbearing stance, looming over her with almost a three inch lead.

But the clock was ticking 4:30, and she had to close the library before her supervisor snapped at her again. She cleared her throat quietly. Kaiba didn't hear. She tried again, a little louder. Still, it was barely loud enough for her to hear herself.

"Um...excuse me," she said quietly.

Though the sound was not much louder than before, Kaiba jerked up as though electrocuted. His sharp eyes found Miho and she found herself taking an involuntary step back.

"I...I'm sorry...but...we're about to close..."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed.

"I'm still looking for something," he said.

"W-well...if you tell me...I can find it for you...and have it ready tomorrow..."

"This is too important to wait."

And without another word, he turned back to the shelf. Miho tried to speak again, but found the words failing her. Those eyes...she didn't want those scary eyes on her again...

"Nosaka-san, are there anymore boxes?"

Ryo appeared, peeking around a bookshelf. His soft green eyes sparked when he saw Kaiba.

"Oh, Kaiba-san," he said, coming to stand beside Miho. "What are you doing here? The library is technically closed."

"The door was unlocked," Kaiba said, giving Ryo only the hint of a glance.

"I'm not supposed to let anyone else in after hours," Miho said in a whisper. She literally could not speak louder than that.

Looking concerned, Ryo looked back over at Kaiba.

"Really, Kaiba, what could you need from the school library?" he asked. "Can't you find what you're looking for through the Internet or something?"

Kaiba didn't even grace him with an answer. Miho looked at the clock nervously.

"Um...if you're looking for something in particular...I could help," she said.

But she was so quiet that only Ryo could hear.

"Kaiba-san," he said in a louder voice. "Nosaka-san can use the library catalog. She can help you find what you're looking for, and it'll be faster."

Miho sent Ryo a grateful glance. Kaiba looked up, his eyes sparking with irritation.

"Well, if you're not going to leave me alone, I suppose I have no choice," he said, straightening. "So?"

This was directed at Miho, and she looked down quickly. She didn't want to meet those eyes! Seto made a disgruntled sound, and Miho flushed.

"Um...over here," she said, turning towards the library computer. "What...what are you looking for?"

Kaiba just shook his head, looking irritated.

"You know what, never mind. I'll just come back tomorrow, when I _won't_ be _bothered._"

She dared a glance at Kaiba's expression, and quickly looked away when she saw the flash of anger there. He frowned, and then, with a snap, he turned around and started to walk towards the door. Miho breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well," Ryo said. "He was in a cheery mood."

Miho smiled weakly. Ryo glanced over at her and smiled gently.

"It's all right. It's not you; he's always like that. Don't take it so personally."

"O-okay...thank you."

She swallowed, and willed her voice to be louder.

"Thank you for helping me, both times," she said. "I mean...with the books, and with Kaiba-san, that's the both times I mean...I mean...um...thank you..."

She felt herself flushing bright red, but Ryo only laughed softly.

"Anytime," he said. "It was nice talking to you before he got here, too. Anyways, I'd better get going."

Miho nodded shyly. But as he disappeared into the hallway, she clutched her skirt.

_Come on, Miho, don't be such a shut-in!_

She dashed forward out into the hallway, where Ryo still hadn't reached the end of the hallway.

"Um, you're welcome back anytime!" she called. "Really! I mean...I would like to see you again!"

Ryo paused. He looked back with his nice green eyes, and he smiled. Miho blushed. Maybe Ryo would be back tomorrow.

But she also saw Seto, still standing at the end of the hall, with his sharp blue eyes glaring at her. She had a feeling she might see him tomorrow, too.

_I should find that book for him through interlibrary loan...just so he goes away..._

A/N: I cannot believe how much trouble this one gave me. Seriously. It was hard to find a situation to put all three of them in together. But it was a lot of fun, and now I want to write a longer Miho-centric fanfiction. Nooooo I don't need anymore ideas! D: Okay, next is Stakeshipping (Mai x Keith). Should be fun...


	82. Stakeshipping

_Stakeshipping (Mai x Keith)_

_(Just some random American tournament that both Mai and Keith are in...)_

Mai Kujaku was not in the best of moods. She had played badly during her last round; she had won, but that didn't matter. She hadn't pulled it off with her usual ease and grace. If she wanted to win this tournament, she would have to pull herself back together.

"I had my doubts when I heard there was a lady duelist here, but I guess the rumors are true!"

Judging by the comment, the gravelly tone of voice, and the unmistakable stench of cigarettes mixed with alcohol, it was yet another stupid blockhead of a man that for some reason thought she couldn't play a card game because she was female.

She spun on her heel to face him. Sure enough, he was a tall, blond man with sunglasses and a five o'clock shadow, obviously trying to create some kind of American stereotype in his motorcycle jacket and American flag headband. He sent her a wide grin.

"So, maybe I'll be facing you in this tournament, honey. What's your name again? Don't be too upset if you lose...I'll make it up to you with dinner afterwards."

Mai sent him a big, fake smile.

"Go to hell, you braggart," she said in Japanese.

He laughed shortly.

"I haven't lived with my fingers in my ears," he said. "I've played a game or two up in the old Jap home."

"Oh, good, he has some brains," Mai said, as though talking to someone else. "I was worried I might have to explain everything I do in my match to him, like how to use Pot of Greed."

The man frowned. Mai smiled to herself. Not so cocky anymore, huh?

"You might want to watch your step, little lady," he said. "Or I might not take it easy on you."

He shoved past her, nearly making her lose her balance.

"Don't push a girl in heels," she muttered, stalking back in the other direction.

A/N: Okay, I admit it. The Pot of Greed thing is one of my favorite jokes. XD It's like, in every English dub Yu-Gi-Oh episode, whenever they use Pot of Greed, they are obligated to say: "This allows me to draw two cards!" No crap, Einstein! It's not like we didn't get it the first five hundred times. So therefore, I found that overly hilarious out of this whole short dialogue. Okay, next is Sprayshipping (Seto x Ryouta x Shizuka).


	83. Sprayshipping

_Sprayshipping (Seto x Ryouta x Shizuka)_

Shizuka liked fish. They didn't even know that they were just inside a tiny version of the ocean. Nothing at all could faze them, not the child with his face pressed against the glass, or the infant trying to poke at them through the barrier, or the too loud voices of arguing couples.

Shizuka pressed her fingers against the cool, see-through wall. She was staring a particularly pretty yellow and blue fish when suddenly – there was a face in the water in front of her!

She yelped and jumped back. The tan-skinned boy blinked at her. She blinked back. Then he pushed upwards and disappeared from view.

Shizuka's heart beat much too fast. What had that boy been doing in there? Inside the tank? What if there were sharks, or jellyfish or something? She stepped back from the glass. Maybe she would go see the dolphins instead...

As she turned around, she smacked straight into someone – someone very tall.

"Oof," she said. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there...?"

As she stepped back and looked up, she found herself looking up into the sharp, irritated blue eyes of Seto Kaiba. Her face blushed bright red.

"I-I-um, I'm sorry!" she said again, bowing this time. He was scary! If only he would stop looking at her like that – !

"Spare me the waterworks," he said. He folded his arms. "You're the mutt's sister, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Mutt? Who was mutt?

Kaiba blew out.

"Jonouchi. You're Jonouchi's sister."

"Oh, yes. That's me. I'm Shizuka Kawai."

He raised his eyebrows. Shizuka could guess why.

"My mother went back to her maiden name," she said.

Kaiba didn't really respond to this, but shifted his eyes elsewhere. His stance said the conversation was over, but Shizuka couldn't help but wonder...what was he doing here in the aquarium? Did he have a big company to work at?

She swallowed.

"Um...so...what brings you here?" she asked.

His irritated gaze sent another blush running across her face. She looked down, muttered a sorry, and started to back away.

"Hey, is this guy bothering you?"

The voice and the smell of salt made Shizuka glance up. Oh, it was the boy who had been inside the aquarium! His spiky black hair was dripping wet; only his goggles kept his bangs from falling into his eyes. Water dripped off his folded arms onto the floor, and his baggy shirt clung to him from wetness.

"Oh, uh, no, it's okay," Shizuka said.

"I don't think it's okay," the boy said, tightening his stance. "Hey you. What do you think you're doing, making a girl upset like that? Just because you're the high and mighty Seto Kaiba doesn't give you that right."

Kaiba looked at the boy like he was something slimy and he didn't want it to touch him.

"I'm sorry, have we met?"

"No, but anyone who's anyone in the dueling world can recognize that ridiculous coat."

Kaiba's mouth tightened. Shizuka felt her pulse jump.

"No, no, really, it's okay, he wasn't bothering me, actually, I was probably bothering him –"

But neither of them seemed to be listening to her.

"Just because you run a fancy-schmancy company doesn't mean you have the right to act like you've got a stick up your ass," the boy said.

"You smell like fish," Kaiba said.

"Is that the best insult you can come up with? Of course I smell like fish; I work at an aquarium!"

"I don't have time for this," Kaiba said, growling and looking at his watch. "Go play with the dolphins or something."

"Stuck-up prig!"

"Do I have to call a restraining order on you?"

The bickering continued, back and forth, back and forth. Shizuka's head followed the action as though she were at a tennis match.

"Really," she whispered throughout it. "Really, it's okay. Can you just – please, are you listening to me? Stop, you're bothering other people...you're both making a scene...are you even...do you even know that I'm here...?"

She was starting to feel dizzy – people had gathered around, giving disapproving looks. They still weren't even listening to a single word she was saying!

It was too much. Everyone was staring, and the boys wouldn't stop fighting, and no one was listening –

"Just – STOP!"

It came out so loud that even Shizuka was surprised. Both boys froze with their mouths still open.

"That's enough!" she said, feeling so upset that she was shaking. "Both of you listen, right now! Kaiba-san, just because you don't like my brother, doesn't mean that you have to act like suck a prick to me! And my brother is _not_ a _mutt!_"

Kaiba just stared at her, the shock plastered on his face like he was a statue.

"And you – I appreciate your kindness, but I didn't ask for help, and I don't need it now! So please, just listen to the person that you're trying to help to make sure you're actually helping before you make a scene!"

The tan boy also stared at her, though his shock was a little less evident than Kaiba's.

"Now if you two would like to keep arguing, be my guest, but I am leaving," Shizuka huffed. "And I hope you both know that you've managed to ruin a perfectly good day."

And, still trembling, she turned on her heel and stomped away.

The fish still didn't even blink.

"Oh, go...be angry or something," she muttered at the fish.

They just stared at her and swam away.

A/N: Shizuka is such a reverse tsundere. She's sweet on the outside, but God help the people that get her angry. :D Not that the canon actually supports this, but I can see it happening...after all, she acts a lot like Fluttershy, and Fluttershy has her moments of epic insanity. (yay, I finally made a pony reference in this series! XD) Next is Spoilshipping (Pegasus x Rebecca). That is...possibly the creepiest shipping I've seen thus far...


	84. Spoilshipping

_Spoilshipping (Pegasus x Rebecca)_

Pegasus usually didn't care much about the duelists he handed trophies to. Most of them were arrogant, and believed that a card game was the answer to all their problems. While in a business sense, Pegasus was glad of that, he was annoyed by it in a personal sense. People like Insector Haga, Bandit Keith Howard, and all the other finalists he pretended to be happy for didn't have real lives, or relationships. How could they ever understand what the world was really like? None of them had grown up enough to understand life.

But this one...this one was different.

Although the tournaments were not usually split up by age group, they usually became adult tournaments after while. Few kids could keep up with the experience of the adults, not to mention an adult's ability to buy a lot more cards than children.

So Pegasus was not the only one who was surprised when an short, twelve-year-old, blonde girl skipped into the arena to face against last year's American champion, "Bandit" Keith Howard.

The look on Keith's face was priceless. He was completely dumbfounded – and then angry, because he obviously felt condescended to.

"Hi!" the girl said, who was announced as Rebecca Hopkins. "This is going to be fun, isn't it, teddy?"

She jiggled her teddy bear to make it look like it was agreeing. Her pigtails bounced as she giggled girlishly.

"What the hell is this?" Keith said. "This is a joke, right?"

"Oh, the scary man is using scary words," Rebecca said, hugging her teddy bear and looking on the verge of tears.

"Yeah, that's right, kid. Maybe you should just walk out if you can't handle it," Keith said, taking off his sunglasses so he could glare at her.

Although she continued to look teary-eyed, and nervous out of her mind, she did not move from her chair. Pegasus could barely understand what he was seeing. How had a timid, shy little girl like this made it this far into the finals? As a rule, he generally didn't watch anything except for the final round, so he had no idea who this was.

The duel was no less surprising.

Rebecca acted as though she had never played a duel in her life. She played weak cards out first, and Keith squashed them immediately. But then when her cards were destroyed, their effects simply summoned more cards, and a visible blood vessel started to pulse in Keith's forehead.

"Yay!" Rebecca said as she summoned yet another defense position monster, hugging her teddy bear.

"This is a frikking joke!" Keith said, slamming the table. "Play like you know what you're doing, kid!"

She just smiled innocently at him, blinking with sparkly eyes.

And then it was her turn. She drew her next card, smiled, and summoned another defense position monster. But this time, she added a face down card to the mix. Pegasus almost used his Millennium Eye, just to find out what card had made her smile so much.

But he held back. The surprise was so much more exciting.

An angry Keith grabbed his next card, and then grinned. He reached to flip over a face down monster

"Waaaait!" Rebecca said in sing-song voice.

"What?" Keith said, half shouting.

"I'm playing a magic card," Rebecca said with a giggle, and she flipped her card. "This is called Prophecy. I have to guess if the card is above or below 2000 attack points. If I'm right, I get the card!"

"Ha," Keith said. "Go ahead, kiddy."

"Hm, what do you think, teddy?" Rebecca said, making its arms dance back and forth. "Oh, that's a good guess, teddy!"

She looked at Keith with bright eyes.

"It's...above 2000 attack points," she said. "Actually, it's exactly 2600 attack points...because that's your Zoa card, right?"

As Keith's jaw dropped, Pegasus found his own head spinning. How had she known that? Did she have abilities like Pegasus? No that wasn't possible...but then...how?

Barely restraining his rage, Keith handed over the card. Rebecca giggled and placed Zoa on her side of the field. In a single instant, she had gotten the most powerful monster on the field – the duel was over in just one more turn.

Security had to restrain Keith before he launched himself at the smiling Rebecca. For her part, she simply made her teddy bear wave to him as he was forced to exit the arena.

Pegasus rose slowly, taking the trophy an attendant was handing out to him. He descended the stairs, trying to mold his face into his usual false but charming smile for contestant winners. It was difficult, as his mind was still racing.

"Congratulations, Miss Hopkins," he said, presenting her with the trophy. "That was a remarkable duel."

Rebecca giggled out a thank you as she accepted the trophy. But the laugh was fake, Pegasus suddenly realized. Cold, sharp intelligence gleamed behind her innocent eyes. Her perfect mask stunned Pegasus, leaving him dumbfounded for a moment. This innocent, girlish face that looked up at him was a lie – but a well-crafted one.

For just the briefest of moments, he allowed his Millennium Eye to glance across the surface of Rebecca's mind.

Days spent at the back of a classroom, alone because she couldn't relate to kids her age. Arguing with a teacher because he had done the formula wrong and he refused to believe it. Not being allowed to move up grades, where she would actually fit in with the right intellectual level...not thinking it would even matter because even though she understood everything as well as the older ones, they wouldn't accept her anyways because of her age.

Then hours spent in front of a television screen, memorizing faces and decks. Noting facial expressions, filing them away with ease. Knowing each contestant's trump cards, and the subtle flickers of their mouths and eyes when they drew what they were looking for. Calculating probabilities of facing different duelists, the cards they might draw, the best way to counter them. Learning all of this with barely a fraction of effort, and only because she needed that challenge. The card game didn't matter for an instant – only the intellectual stretching it provided. The mask...well, that was another thing. To disarm the opponent before she had even begun, throw them off balance with a veil of cuteness and naivety – but this girl had never known naivety.

Pegasus gave Rebecca one more cursory smile before stepping back, and allowing her to bask in the glow of her success.

She was certainly different, that one. Give her a few years, and not even Pegasus would want to face her.

A/N: I think Rebecca is a savant (meaning an extremely smart individual who has trouble relating due to their incredible IQ). She's only twelve and she's the national champion of Duel Monsters in America. Which, in my train of thinking, she would have had to beat the original champion to earn that title, who is Keith Howard. Thus, he got a cameo in this story, although I would have liked to focus more on Rebecca and Pegasus. I think the only reason Rebecca didn't defeat Yugi (well, he forfeited, but Yugi could have won) was because she had never seen him duel before. She didn't know his deck, his strategy, or anything else. I think she's secretly a genius, and I wish the anime had delved more into her character after introducing her. Well, whatever, that's what fanfiction is for. Next is Spiritshipping (Yami no Yugi x Anzu x Yugi). I'm going to enjoy this one. :D


	85. Spiritshipping

_Spiritshipping (Yami no Yugi x Anzu x Yugi)_

He haunted her dreams…although, she was never sure which "he" it was. They looked so similar; the only way she could tell them apart was by the eyes. And his eyes were always obscured in the dream – because he was always walking away from her.

She would call out. Ask him to wait, to pause for just the briefest moment so she could catch up to him. But he wouldn't turn around. He wouldn't acknowledge her.

_Please. Please just let me know that you know I'm here! Don't leave me behind!_

It was her greatest fear, being left behind. Why else would she constantly talk about the eternity and strength of friendship? She wanted everyone to believe those words – especially him. If they believed the words she said about friendship, maybe they wouldn't leave her. She didn't want to be alone…but he continued to walk away anyway.

Sometimes she could almost catch up to him. She would reach out to him. All she wanted was to hold his hand, so desperately that she could barely breathe. But just as her fingers would brush the back of his hand, she would jerk back.

Because who was she reaching out to? Whose hand did she want to hold? Why couldn't she know?

_Please…turn around. Let me know who I'm dreaming about._

If only she could see his eyes, she would know…something. Something important.

_"Anzu…Anzu-chan…wake up…"_

A familiar voice was calling her…but which one? Someone touched her shoulder, but who?

Which set of eyes would greet her as the darkness fell away? Purple, or red?

She opened her eyes.

A/N: A bit abstract, but I wanted to illustrate Anzu's conflicts in a cohesive way, and a dream seemed to do it quite well. Next is Spikeshipping (Honda x Yugi).


	86. Spikeshipping

_Spikeshipping (Honda x Yugi)_

_(manga references…just so you know)_

Yugi Mutou was just another kid Honda messed with. Mostly just because Jonouchi was doing it to, and Honda wasn't about to lose to Jonouchi.

But suddenly, Jonouchi was gone. Honda didn't see him hanging out with the gang kids anymore. It wasn't until two or three days after the Yugi and the bully incident that Honda saw Jonouchi again…walking to school with Yugi Mutou.

The sight made Honda stop and stare for a long moment. Who was this spiky haired kid? Why was Jonouchi suddenly buddies with the kid he had bullied? Honda couldn't understand it. Well, _he_ certainly wouldn't be going to that spiky-haired, wimpy short kid for help…even though Yugi _had_ stuck up for Honda before…no, never mind that.

But then he made the mistake of telling Jonouchi about his crush on Miho. And Jonouchi told Yugi.

"Jonouchi, what the hell? Why'd you tell the Mutou kid about this?"

"Cause Yugi can help you out, dumbass," Jonouchi said, punching Honda in the shoulder. It wasn't playful; it _hurt._

Honda scowled, rubbing his shoulder.

"Don't be such a wuss, Honda. Yugi's better at this stuff than we are."

"Yeah right, the kid that gets beat up every day is better at relationships? I doubt he's ever had a girlfriend."

"Well, there is Anzu…"

"Anzu doesn't count, and we both know it."

Jonouchi shrugged.

"Here comes Yugi."

Honda glanced behind him, and found himself starting to blush. Yugi knew about his crush on Miho – damn, he'd probably never hear the end of this.

But Yugi just smiled at Honda, without the least bit of sarcasm in his face.

"Hi, Honda-san," he said. "How are you?"

Honda just grunted, and Yugi looked a tad nervous for a moment. But it passed quickly, and he was smiling again.

"So what's the deal, Yugi, can you help this lump out?" Jonouchi said.

"Yeah, of course! My grandpa's sure to have something for this. Why don't you guys come over to the game shop?"

"Game shop?" Honda said. "How's that gonna help?"

Yugi smiled again.

"Don't worry, my grandpa definitely has something to help with a crush," he said. "I'm sure of it."

He certainly seemed cheerful about this. Not like he was going to be a tease about it at all.

"Why are you helping me out?" Honda asked with a grumble.

Yugi's smile faded, and he looked confused.

"Well, why shouldn't I?" he asked.

It threw Honda off guard. Honda could think of a billion reasons why Yugi shouldn't help him out. Why didn't this kid see that? He had opened his mouth to mention this when Jonouchi drove his elbow into Honda's side.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Honda said.

"You're a dumbass, that's what that was for."

He lowered his voice.

"This is how Yugi is. Trust me. He doesn't hold grudges – he's not like us."

The way his said "us" was almost like another elbow to the stomach. Honda glanced at Yugi again – his warm violet eyes, child-like proportions, cheerful and kind expression.

Jonouchi was right. Yugi wasn't like them. He was better. Honda hated the short kid for it.

But at the same time… Those violet eyes, seeing nothing but the best in life, in him, even though he _had_ nothing better in him. But when Yugi looked at him like that…he felt like he could_ become _better.

Maybe. Maybe.

Honda groaned softly. Then he punched Yugi lightly on the shoulder.

"Okay. Lead on."

He moved to follow Yugi, and he never looked back.

A/N: Aw, how sweet! :) I couldn't think of a better way to work this, so I decided to do something with their first meeting. Don't know how good it is, but Honda is hard to write, especially back in his almost thug persona. Next is Spiceshipping (Keith x Seto x Shizuka).


	87. Spiceshipping

_Spiceshipping (Seto x Shizuka x Keith)_

The silence was almost worse than the shouting. Shizuka swallowed and started playing with her hair, watching the silent fireworks go off in front of her.

All she had been doing was going out to buy some spices for dinner – but then she had run into someone, a foreigner. She had gotten flustered as he slurred at her in English, and she tried desperately to remember anything from her English class that would make him go away. He tried to drape his arm over her shoulder, and she shied away so that he stumbled.

And then, to make matters worse, Seto Kaiba had appeared from around the corner. His eyes had fallen on Shizuka, then shifted to the foreigner. Just a few English words dropped from his mouth in a tight, irritated tone. Almost instantly, the foreigner had hurled something at the tall, white-coated boy. And things just got worse.

The foreigner kept shouting things in a broken mix of English and Japanese, as Seto replied in a clipped, accented English. The foreigner threw something else. But Seto just knocked it aside with the back of his hand. Shizuka had backed away, wishing she could just leave, but the sidewalk was narrow, the street was busy, and the two men were practically on either side of her. She didn't feel safe sneaking past either of them.

The shouting had continued for a few more minutes, and then the foreigner had grabbed Seto by the collar. Seto pushed his shoulder back, and they stood there, glaring at each other for a long, long moment.

The silence was terrible. Seto was completely frozen, his blue eyes so harsh and cold that Shizuka shivered, even in the warm spring air. The foreigner swayed slightly back and forth, probably glaring at Seto, but it was hard to tell past his sunglasses. Shizuka chewed on her lip, feeling a hint of tears in her eyes. All she wanted was for one of them to make a sound – it was so scary not knowing!

Seto spoke one more English sentence – something cold and dripping with a threat. The foreigner went just the slightest bit pale. Then he let go of Seto's collar, and the two broke apart. The foreigner leered at Shizuka for a moment, red rimmed eyes peeking over dark glasses. Finally, he took a swig from the bottle hanging from his hand, and slouched away.

Seto turned with a snap of his white coat and started to walk away.

"Uh...wait!" Shizuka said.

Seto glanced back.

"What do you want?"

"W-what just happened?" Shizuka asked. "What were you saying to him? What was he saying?"

Seto's blue eyes were unreadable.

"Stay out of trouble," he said.

And then he was gone.

And the silence continued.

A/N: Aw, I think Seto likes Shizuka. :) I'm not a big supporter of that pairing, but it would be cute if it would ever actually happen. Next is Spearshipping (Ryouta/Mako Tsunami x Yugi).


	88. Spearshipping

_Spearshipping (Ryouta x Yugi)_

_(What on God's green Earth am I supposed to do with this?)_

To be absolutely honest, Yugi had never met Ryouta Kajiki face to face before. Sure, he had dueled against him, once, but the pharaoh was the one dueling. And back then, Yugi and the pharaoh hadn't known how to communicate with each other within their soul rooms, so Yugi couldn't do much more than watch. And although Jonouchi had told Yugi Kajiki was at Battle City, Yugi had never seen him.

So he wasn't sure what to say when Kajiki suddenly ran up to him with a grin on his tanned face.

"Yo, Mutou-san!" he said, clapping him on the back. "Hey, long time, no see! It's Ryouta Kajiki, remember me from Duelist Kingdom? It's okay, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't."

"Oh, yeah," Yugi said, smiling slightly. Just a bit nervously. "Yeah, it has. How are you?"

"I'm not doing too bad. How about you? Win anymore championship tournaments lately?"

Kajiki probably didn't see, or understand, the slight pang that flashed across Yugi's eyes.

"Um, no, actually, I haven't been dueling much for a while. Not since Battle City, anyway."

"Really? That's a waste of your talents, my friend," Kajiki said, grinning. Yugi smiled back – he couldn't help it, Kajiki's smile was somewhat infectious. "So what brings you all the way out here to my town?"

"Oh, I'm here for a summer program at the college here," Yugi said. "The archeology program is really good."

"Archeology? Sounds interesting," Kajiki said, although it was obvious that he didn't think so. "Well, if you'll be here for a while, you should stop by my place sometime – it's that blue house right up against the docks. We should duel again sometime – you'll probably beat me, but it'd be fun!"

Ryouta's name echoed down across the wharf, and Kajiki glanced behind him.

"Aw, geez, I forgot the time," he said. "Sorry, I gotta run, Mutou-san. Nice seeing you again – and make sure to stop by at least once, all right?"

"Mm-hm, sure, I will," Yugi said to Ryouta's fleeing back.

He paused for a just a moment longer, staring at the spiky haired boy laugh sheepishly as he got yelled at by someone that had to be his father. For a moment, that pang flashed across his heart again.

A year. It had been almost a year since the pharaoh had left.

Yugi had come here for a break from the familiar places, the things they had done together. But he had only found a new memory.

He sucked in the salty sea air. He took a moment to feel the ocean-thick breeze.

Then he shouldered his bag, turned his back to the harbor, and walked away.

A/N: The funny thing is, I could almost see this strange relationship developing with a premise like this. But I still don't support it. :P Next is Spazzshipping (Yami no Bakura x Jonouchi).


	89. Spazzshipping

_Spazzshipping (Yami no Bakura x Jonouchi)_

The thing about Jonouchi was that he was an incurable idiot. Reckless, loyal to a fault, relying on his fists and personal strength to fight his battles, even though he knew the forces he faced against were far greater than he could ever imagine – it was quite endearing, really.

Of course, that didn't change the fact that he was an obstacle in his way.

Yami no Bakura leaned against the cold stone wall, considering the angry-faced blonde boy in front of him. Jonouchi was taller than Bakura in his host form, with fair skin prone to easy reddening and fiery hazel eyes. The boy's hands were clenched into fists, and his stance was wide – it would be so, so simple to cut him. But this untrained boy didn't realize that; he was only setting up as though this were a common street fight. Though thugs often packed knives, like Bakura, Jonouchi had no way of preparing for someone with a practiced knife hand.

But, for reasons beyond his thought process, Bakura decided not to remove the knife from his sleeve. He just smiled easily, causing Jonouchi to redden with anger.

"Afternoon, Katsuya Jonouchi-san," he said. "It's a pleasure to see you again – what brings you all the way out here in these cold, dark, deserted alleys?"

The hint that he was out of reach of help did not seem to affect Jonouchi – whether or not he understood it was another matter entirely.

"I'm here cause of you, you bastard," Jonouchi said, pointing a finger at Bakura. "Don't think that you can pretend you're Ryo – I could tell you had switched over."

"From so far away? Impressive."

In fact, Bakura was impressed. He had thought himself well-acquainted with Bakura's facial expressions and manner, enough to fool onlookers, at least. But Jonouchi had noticed. Bakura felt a hint of a thrill in the back of his mind. This might end up being more interesting than he thought.

He pushed off the wall to stand straight, facing Jonouchi.

"What gave me away, if I might ask?"

"Nobody has a creepier smile than you," Jonouchi snapped. "What are you up to?"

Bakura laughed softly.

"Do you think I'll tell you, just like that? Come now, Jonouchi, you know things aren't that simple."

Bakura gave just the barest of flickers in the direction of his knife, but managed to restrain his motions. However, Jonouchi's eyes narrowed, and Bakura caught the slight shifting of his body. Suddenly, his defense had tightened up considerably. Well, well. Jonouchi was much more perceptive than Bakura had first thought. And more accustomed to street fighting, as well.

"I'm warning you," Jonouchi said. "If you even get near Yugi, or Anzu, or Honda, or anyone else, I'll conveniently forget that that's Ryo's body that you're controlling."

"Even though Ryo will be the one to feel it later?"

"I'm sure he'd understand."

As the pair of them talked, Bakura could almost see the strategies coming and going between them. The chatter meant nothing to either of them. It was just a way to justify studying each other's movements and changing tactics accordingly. It wouldn't be long, though, before Jonouchi snapped. His recklessness wouldn't be kept in check for long – Bakura simply had to wait it out.

But, although Bakura had meant to simply take Jonouchi out of the picture, to hurt the pharaoh, he didn't want the game to end so quickly. He hadn't realized how fascinating this apparent blockhead of a teenager could be.

He sent Jonouchi another easy smile.

"How about this – why don't we play a game instead?"

A/N: And I'll leave it right there. :) I think Jonouchi is under appreciated by a lot of people, mostly because of the 4Kids version of him. He really is a sharp character, especially when there's a fight involved. Next up is Spatshipping (Seto x Jonouchi x Mokuba x Shizuka).


	90. Spatshipping

_Spatshipping (Seto x Jonouchi x Mokuba x Shizuka)_

She saw the clover patch first. The boy came second.

Shizuka Kawai looked away from the train station for just a moment to enjoy the breeze through her hair, when a patch of green caught her attention. She gave out a sigh of happiness when she saw the wide swatch of clovers dancing in the wind, just barely ringed with melting snow. Spring was certainly on its way.

That was when she saw the boy. He was crouched down among clover, on his hands and knees with his face almost to the ground. His hands moved through the clover with a methodical rhythm. It only took Shizuka a moment to realize what he was doing.

She hesitated for a moment. Then, carefully, so as not to crush the clover, she stepped into the patch. The boy didn't notice her until she was crouching down next to him, and he only looked up for a passing glance before returning to his work.

"Are you...looking for a four-leaf clover?" Shizuka asked.

"Well, duh. Why else would I be out in the middle of a clover patch?" the boy said bluntly.

He looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place him. His ebony black hair fell in shaggy locks across his red sweater, and his face and jeans were smudged with dirt. His eyes flicked across the clover as he inched very slowly through the patch.

"Why are you looking for a clover? Do you need some extra luck?"

The boy hesitated for a moment.

"No."

"Oh," Shizuka said, cowed for a moment.

She hugged her knees, watching his careful examination of the patch continue. A cool breeze tickled her face. For a moment, she remembered a spring day back in the country, before her parents had divorced. They had been arguing again that day, and Shizuka hadn't been able to stop crying. Quietly, Katsuya had taken her hand, led her out the back door, and taken her up and over the big green hill behind the house. She remembered her gasp of delight at the rolling hills of clover, and the laughter they had shared together as they rolled all through the clover, collecting grass stains and dirt. They had made a promise that day, one that she remember, but she wasn't sure if Jonouchi did...

"_Let's find a four-leaf clover, Shizuka."_

"_Oh yay!"_

"_But whoever finds it first has to share the luck with the other one, okay?"_

"_Will the luck make mommy and daddy stop fighting?"_

"_Of course it will!"_

They hadn't found a four-leaf clover. And their parents told them that they were divorcing the very next day.

The boy sneezed loudly. Shizuka came back to herself, and saw that the boy's nose and fingers were red.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked worriedly.

"No."

She didn't seem to be able to get much out of him. Noting the shake of his shoulders, she came to kneel next to him.

"Here," she said. "I'll help you look, okay?"

The boy shrugged.

"Suit yourself."

But then he sneezed again, and his look of practiced indifference gave way to a blush of cold and embarrassment. Shizuka laughed softly, but tried to smother it. They didn't speak for while, as two pairs of hands searched the clover patch together.

A train whistled as suddenly, both their hands ran into each other, and they looked up with a jolt.

They had reached the end of the clover patch.

Shizuka sat up first, tucking her grass stained fingers into her armpits.

"Oh, well," she said. "Some patches don't have any, I guess. And it's hard to try and look at all of them."

The boy didn't answer. Quietly, he turned back to the patch and started looking again.

"Um, maybe you should –" Shizuka started.

"Oy! Shizuka!"

Shizuka looked up, and suddenly remembered why she was at the train station. She scrambled to her feet as Jonouchi jogged over to her, his breath fogging the air.

"Hey, sis," he said. "What are you doing over here? I thought you were going to wait at the usual spot."

"Oh, well, I was, but then I saw him, and –"

She glanced back over to the clover patch towards the boy, still searching, still shivering. Jonouchi followed her gaze over his shoulder. He did a double-take.

"Mokuba? Mokuba Kaiba?"

The name rang a bell.

"Oh!" she said. "That's who that is!"

"What's he doing here?"

"Looking for a four-leaf clover, I think."

"No, I mean _here._ In your town. Domino's a train ride away."

His face darkened.

"I wonder if Kaiba's here too."

Shizuka was about to ask her brother to stop picking fights when no one was even around to accept them, when a familiar, striking voice cut across the station.

"_Mokuba!"_

Mokuba's head jerked up, and all three heads whipped around. Sure enough, there was Seto Kaiba himself, stalking across the stone ground, his white coattails whipping in the wind. Mokuba's face dropped, and there was the hint of tears in his eyes.

Seto didn't even pay attention to the half-spoken challenge of Katsuya, storming over to Mokuba and hauling him to his feet.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been looking for you _all day_! Why weren't you answering your cell phone? And why the hell aren't you wearing your coat? It's twenty degrees outside!"

Mokuba tore back from his brother, obviously trying to stem tears.

"Kaiba-san," Shizuka started quietly.

Her brother cut her off.

"Hey, maybe it's something _you_ did, wise guy," Katsuya said acidly. "Obviously Mokuba doesn't want anything to do with you right now – ever notice that?"

Seto's icy eyes slammed right into Katsuya, and Katsuya nearly stepped back.

"Stay out of this, Jonouchi," Seto said with a harsh edge. "This is none of your business."

"None of my business? You're causin' a scene right in the middle of the train station! You're _making _it my business!"

The two continued to shout as Shizuka attempted to catch their attention – but then she noticed that Mokuba was back on the ground, searching frantically now. His hands whipped through the clover, ripping some of them out of the ground. Tears dripped down and were quickly lost in the fury of motion.

Shizuka dropped to her knees beside Mokuba, grabbing his shoulders. There was nothing she could do for his and her brothers, but maybe she could help Mokuba.

"Mokuba-san," Shizuka said. "Mokuba-san! What's wrong, Mokuba-san?"

Mokuba tore from her grip.

"It's none of your business," he said. "This is just something I have to do."

He wiped his nose and left a streak of dirt across his cheek. Shizuka grabbed his hands before he could move back into that fury of motion.

"Mokuba-san," she said, quietly, softly. "Mokuba-san. Why do you need the clover? Is something wrong?"

Mokuba tried to pull out of her grip, but Shizuka was firm.

"Is it about your brother?" she said.

He hesitated.

"It's okay," she said. "I have one too. I understand...somewhat, at least."

Mokuba swallowed.

"Mokuba!"

Seto had appeared over them again, his eyes dark as a storm.

"Mokuba, get up. We're leaving. _Now._"

"Kaiba-san, wait –" Shizuka started.

"Now!"

Mokuba swallowed, rubbed at his eyes, and started to stand up.

Shizuka felt as though something was about to end – something precious was passing by, and no one could catch it and make it stay.

Her fingers curled around the clover beside her as Mokuba started to follow Seto away. On an impulse, she glanced down.

There, between her fingers, growing upwards as tall as though reaching for her, was a four-leaf clover.

Without hesitating, she plucked it from the ground. She scrambled to her feet, and, despite Jonouchi's protesting, ran after Mokuba.

"Mokuba-san! Wait!"

Mokuba paused for just a moment.

"Mokuba, I don't have time for this, let's go," Seto said icily.

But it was enough for Shizuka to catch up, breathlessly, to press the clover into Mokuba's hand.

"There – you – go," she breathed. "I – found – one."

Mokuba's grayish eyes widened. The youthful face found her, eyes still wet with uncried tears, and a slight flickered across his face.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Mokuba!" Seto said.

Mokuba trotted dutifully to Seto. He paused for just a moment, and then held up the four leaf clover. Whatever Seto had been about to say died on his lips. He stared at the clover that Mokuba held out.

"Here, nii-chan," Mokuba said. "See? Look, I found one."

Seto didn't say anything. His blue eyes were, for once, calm. Tentatively, he reached upwards, and touched the clover.

Mokuba swallowed, but it didn't stop the quiet tears from rolling down his cheeks.

"I don't know if you remember, nii-chan, but we promised once that we'd find a four-leaf clover together. I don't know if you remember, but we were looking for one the day –"

"The day of the accident," Seto said softly.

His fingers curled around the four-leaf clover, so that both brothers were holding it.

"The luck won't help out much now but...I...I want to see you smile again, nii-chan. Just because today was terrible once...it doesn't have to be all the time. Does it?"

Seto was, for once, completely speechless.

He simply nodded.

Then, hands curled around the clover together, they walked slowly away.

Shizuka felt the hint of tears in her eyes. Jonouchi's hand touched her shoulder gently, and she looked up towards him. His hazel eyes were kind.

"It's okay, Shizu," he said. "It's okay."

And then, like a good big brother, he waited quietly while she cried into his shoulder.

The clovers danced in the wind.

A/N: Kind of a late St. Patrick's Day special, I guess. I just try to find ideas everywhere. Next up is Sparkleshipping (Mana x Kisara).


	91. Sparkleshipping

_Sparkleshipping (Mana x Kisara)_

Mana was in a good mood this morning. Well, she was in a good mood pretty much every morning, but today felt extra special for no apparent reason. She skipped down the hall, swinging her wand back and forth as she hummed a cheery, made-up tune.

She had almost reached the door to the library at the end of the hall when the door swung open. Mahad appeared in a flick of white robes and a glint of gold, and Mana instantly skidded to a stop, tucking her wand behind her back. She didn't want to be scolded again for skipping with her wand – and she definitely didn't want her teacher to remind her about the fish incident _again_. Even though that had totally _not_ been her fault.

He caught sight of her almost instantly, and the hint of a smile crept into his eyes. His expressions were never very noticeable, but Mana had learned to understand them over the years.

"Good morning, Mana," he said. "I'm assuming you're looking for the pharaoh?"

"Yep!" she said cheerfully as she tried to sneakily edge past him.

Mahad blocked her path, trying to look stern but smiling softly anyway.

"You'll have to wait. He's busy discussing the economic report with Priest Akhenaden."

"But –" Mana protested.

Mahad wouldn't hear it. He took her shoulders, turned her around, and pushed her gently the opposite direction.

"Go practice your magic. You may have the day off of official studies, but you mustn't let yourself become rusty."

Mana tried to protest, but she found that her legs were moving all by themselves. She gave a great sigh, and allowed Mahad's spell to propel her to the end of the hall. Once the spell wore off, she glanced surreptitiously behind her. Mahad had gone, but she found that the spell held firm – she couldn't walk into the corridor.

She sighed again. Her morning plans had been thwarted. Well, there was plenty to do while she waited for Atem to have a spare moment, so she turned her mind to other things. She decided to go down into the market place. There were always interesting things down there to look at, and people to talk to.

The guards gave her no more than a passing nod at her cheery hello. She ignored the disappointing reaction and paid attention instead to the bright, cheery blue sky and the beautiful golden disc of the sun.

The market was as busy and crowded as ever. As always, she felt right at home among the wide oceans of people shoving and swerving and shouting, and she breathed in the hot desert air tinged with the hint of the Nile River. Where should she go first? Maybe the spellstone salesman was back from Nubia. Oh, or she could see if the fruit stand was open yet.

A flash of motion caught her attention. Hm?

She paused in the middle of the crowd. There was movement all around her; why should something catch her eye like that? The flash came again, and she realized that it was not the movement so much as the color that came with it: a bright blue, almost white in its metallic shimmer. Was that someone's hair? Who could have hair like that?

Mana paused on tip toe, but she couldn't see past the tall bearded man in front of her. Pouting, she sidestepped the man and glanced around for the source of the motion. A moment later, she caught the glimpse of those metallic blue tresses disappearing around a corner. A trio of boys no older than Mana chased after the glimpse, obviously shouting, although the sound was lost in the general noise of the market place.

Mana's blood ran cold when she saw the stones in their hands.

Without a second thought, she plunged through the crowd. She didn't even pause to say sorry to the people she shoved past, trying to reach the alley where the boys had vanished. Her knuckles were white where they gripped her wand – could she even trust herself to use her magic against non-magicians? Mahad would give her more than a scolding if she did!

But she shoved the thoughts aside and continued to run blindly into the maze of alleys. The sounds of the marketplace faded away to a distant murmur, and she could follow the sounds of the shouting boys more easily.

"Where'd she go?"

"Where is she?"

"Did you see where she went?"

"Hey, over there, I saw her hair!"

Mana dove through randomly chosen turns, praying that the boys would keep making noise. Suddenly, she barreled around a corner and skidded to a stop. She wheeled her arms to keep her balance as she tried to take in the situation.

There was a girl with that impossible hair cowering at a dead end. The three boys stood around her, jeering with rocks in their hands. One boy thew a stone and it hit the wall above the girl. The girl cried out and ducked her head under her hands. Trembles racked her body.

"Hey!" Mana said, anger replacing her previous apprehension. "What do you think you're doing?"

The boys turned around, obviously surprised that someone else was here.

"Hey, get out of here. This is none of your business."

The tallest of the boys hefted his stone menacingly, but Mana didn't think of herself as a coward. She drew herself up to her full height, even though she only reached the tallest boy's shoulder.

"I hope you know that throwing stones at people unprovoked is considered assault," she said in her most imperious tone, trying to imitate Atem when he faced down criminals in the courtroom. "That is against the law of the pharaoh, and is punishable by up to three years of labor."

"No one is here to enforce the pharaoh's law, girl," the tall boy said, advancing. "I don't see his mighty royal highness anywhere around here, do you?"

Mana didn't back down, glaring at him. After a moment's thought, she shoved the end of her wand into his face.

"I'll have you know that my name is Mana, and I am the apprentice to the High Wizard Mahad, Keeper of the Millennium Ring and one of the six guardians of the pharaoh. Not only can I use my magic against you, but I have no issues with going straight to the pharaoh after this and telling him what has happened!"

While the two shorter boys seemed nervous, the taller boy didn't appear to care.

"Whatever," he said.

And with that, he plucked Mana's wand from her hand and threw it behind him. Mana flinched. She...hadn't expected that.

"Now what, wizard?" the boy jeered. "Now what?"

"I...um..."

The girl with metallic blue hair was staring at her, her fair skin and blue eyes both startling and stunning. Those blue eyes were fearful – fearful for Mana, Mana realized. Well, Mana wasn't about to let this go without a fight.

"Just turn around and walk away –"

The boy didn't get to finish his sentence, because Mana flung herself at him. They both tumbled to the ground, the boy's stone flying harmlessly to hit a far away wall.

"Hey, you! Run!" Mana shouted at the blue haired girl.

The girl scrambled to her feet, but she hesitated. The other two boys were shouting, trying to grab at Mana's shoulders and stop her from slamming her fists into every vital spot she could reach. She was yanked violently off the boy and slammed against the wall. The breath left her lungs, and the tall boy stumbled to his feet. He didn't appear harmed – not surprising, since Mana wasn't really that strong.

"You're gonna pay for that, play-wizard," he said with an ugly sneer.

He cocked a fist back as the other two boys held her arms against the wall. Mana squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that at least the girl had gotten away –

The blow never came. Suddenly, the pressure on her arms disappeared. When she chanced to crack open her eyes, she saw the tall boy laying unconscious on the ground, and the fleeing backs of the other two boys. She blinked, surprised.

Then she saw the blue haired girl holding Mana's wand out, like a sword. Her graceful, pale arms trembled.

"Did you...hit him with that?" Mana asked.

The girl nodded, shyly.

"Is...I mean...I'm sorry for using your wand like that..." she said quietly, her Egyptian tinted with an accent Mana didn't recognize.

"Huh? Oh, no biggie. I've done worse to it."

She took the wand from the girl's outstretched hands.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

The girl shook her head. Well, she was quiet. Really quiet. She seemed kind of nervous, too, like Mana might jump up and bite her. Well, that was no good – she was so pretty that she might as well smile and make herself even prettier. And every smile starts with another smile!

Mana gave the girl her biggest, warmest smile.

"I'm Mana," she said. "What's your name?"

The girl ducked her head slightly, still nervous.

"I...I'm Kisara," she said.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, Kisara!"

No good, she still wasn't smiling. Mana considered this for a moment. Being too nervous to smile was something she had never experienced before, so she wasn't sure how to deal with it. Then her stomach rolled, so loud that it bounced off the stone walls around them.

Startled blue eyes met sheepish brown ones as the sound died away. Mana found herself blushing slightly.

"Uh...are you hungry? Cause I'm starving."

Kisara tried to repress it, but it came anyway. She smiled, a broad, beautiful thing that completely transformed her demeanor until she was impossibly pretty.

Mana grinned back. It was so hard not to at the sparkle in Kisara's own smile.

A/N: Aw, that's so cute! Aren't they cute? :3 I seem to like yuri couples better than yaoi ones. Yu-Gi-Oh is lacking good yuri couples, but there are so many yaoi couples that they get annoying. Next is Spaceshipping (Shizuka x Yami no Marik). Should be interesting...


	92. Spaceshipping

_Spaceshipping (Shizuka x Yami no Marik)_

The heart monitor beeped, slowly, too slowly, but surely. Shizuka didn't want to look at the terrible sight of her brother laying on a hospital bed with a breathing mask affixed to his face, but she didn't want to look away either.

This wasn't fair. It was just a card game. What...what had happened? Why was her brother here, in the hospital, barely alive? She could barely contain her tears – and then she couldn't anymore. They spilled out, waterfalling down her cheeks without end. Her sobs, however, were silent. She was beyond hysterics now.

A slowly budding anger replaced it.

She knew why Katsuya was here. She knew who had put him here. It had been that...that _thing_ that called itself Marik Ishtar. That thing with the cold, flat eyes and the terrible sadistic grin, who had laughed as her brother fell to the ground in a dead faint. He had _laughed._

Her eyes wandered to Katsuya's limp form again – and she quickly looked away. She would gladly give away her sight again if it meant she never had to see this. She never wanted to see this happen to her brother, or anyone!

She stayed beside her brother until she could bear it no longer. She had to get up – to walk, to do something other than stand here and be helpless! She would check the screen in the center of the blimp to see how Yugi was doing in his duel, she decided. If Yugi won, she felt...no she _believed_ that Katsuya would come back to her. He had to! The door slid open at her touch.

What lay outside terrified her beyond belief.

He stood half a head taller than her, considering her with a hint of surprise in his flat, purple eyes thickly outlined in dark eyelashes. He rolled his golden rod between his tanned fingers. Masses of platinum blond hair glinted in the light from the window.

They stared at each other, terror to consideration, for a long moment.

It was, of course, _him_ that broke the silence.

"I didn't think I'd find anyone in here," he said with that echoing, grating voice. "But, I will admit, I'm not displeased with what I have found."

Shizuka couldn't speak – could barely breathe. The trembling had already started in her limbs, freezing her to the ground, locking her tongue in place. It was him, oh God, it was him. Someone, something, anything – why couldn't anyone help her? She was alone with this...this madman! The man that had nearly killed her brother!

Marik stepped into the room, bringing himself less than half a foot away from Shizuka's face. Now Shizuka returned to her senses, scrambling backwards to put some space between them. His smile was slow but terrifying.

"Ah, now I remember you," he said. "You weren't very memorable, at first. You're Jonouchi's little sister. How sweet. Are you waiting for him to wake up? I would give up, if I were you. He won't last much longer."

Shizuka tried desperately to suck in air through her constricted lungs. He came closer to her, slowly drawing a short knife from his pocket as he slid the rod into his belt loop. The meager remains of Shizuka's courage faded away – it was all she could do to remain standing.

"So," he said softly, coming to touch the point of the blade to her cheek. "I came in here to finish off Jonouchi, to break the pharaoh's spirit, but I find you. What should I do with you, I wonder?"

Shizuka swallowed through a dry throat. Her palms sweat with terror. What was he going to do? What was he going to do to her? He laughed softly.

"You're pretty, if not memorable," he said. "This might be fun...let's see if you scream any louder than your brother."

The words registered slowly in Shizuka's mind.

But when they did register, she found an unusual sensation bubbling in her stomach.

This was the man that had nearly murdered her brother. The man who planned on finishing his job as soon as she was out of the way. He had taken everything from her – everything. He was sadistic, evil, inhuman – and if she let him do what he wanted with her, no one would be left to protect Katsuya.

The knife traced its way down her cheekbone, but she could not feel the fear that it should have inspired of her. All she could feel was the unconscious form of Katsuya behind her – he had always protected her, her brother. He had never backed down when she was in trouble, not even when dad was in one of his rages. His life was in danger – she _would _protect him.

Those flat, evil eyes stared at her with sadistic anticipation. She raised her hand – she knew he was expecting nothing. No resistance from the "pretty but unmemorable face."

So he was not ready when her hand cracked across his cheek. Shock flared in those otherwise depthless eyes. He was completely unbalanced and off guard as Shizuka reached back, grabbed the back of the chair next to the bed, and hurled it around her, holding it like a shield in front of her.

"Get out," she said, her voice thick with angry and terrified tears. "Get out!"

The shock lasted only a moment longer, and then it was replaced with amusement. A deep, grating laugh bellowed from his throat.

"You are priceless," he said, grinning at her. "I didn't think this would be so much fun."

"Get – OUT!" Shizuka said, her voice raising to a scream. "Get away from my brother and get away from me! I won't let you touch him! I won't let you near him again! GET OUT!"

There were footsteps in the hall, the beat of running feet – still too far to help. But her shouting was getting somewhere.

"Put that down, little girl," Marik said with a dark grin. "Put down the chair. It would be a shame to have to break you so quickly."

But it wasn't going to happen. He was not going to get near her brother _ever again. _She thrust herself forward, the legs of the chair out in front of her like some makeshift jousting weapon.

He had still underestimated her. He was unprepared for the motion, and so when the chair hit him full on in the stomach, all the wind rushed from his lungs, and his knife clattered to the ground. Shizuka shoved the chair forward harder, this time knocking him against the wall. Then she dropped the chair and grabbed the knife, holding it out in front of her.

"Get away from my brother," she whispered.

He stared at her, disbelieving, as though he had never expected that anyone could ever defy him. For a moment, the shock held him still.

Then he began to laugh again. It was a terrible, evil sound, but Shizuka held her ground. When the laugh finally echoed away, Marik just grinned at her.

"Well," he said, drawing out the word. "That was...fascinating."

The sounds of footsteps grew louder. With one last grin, Marik swept from the room in a flurry of his dark cloak. Shizuka waited just a moment longer, to make sure he had really disappeared.

Then, and only then, did she let herself sink to the ground. And as a worried Honda and Anzu burst into the room, she could not really find the words to describe how she was feeling.

_If Katsuya hadn't been here...if I hadn't had to protect him...I would have never stood my ground..._she thought. _But...I did stand my ground. I did._

A/N: Shizuka has many hidden depths. :) I'm probably totally making her into a Mary-Sue, but for some reason, I don't care. Next is Sororshipping (Shizuka x Ishizu). It will be a nice break for Shizuka after that ordeal, don't you think?


	93. Sororshipping

_Sororshipping (Ishizu x Shizuka)_

The red-headed girl sobbed on the floor, covering her nose and mouth with one hand in a failed attempt to quiet herself. She could not seem to get the strength to open her eyes, much less get up and follow the stretcher that bore her unconscious brother away. Ishizu Ishtar could see nothing except for the girl's tears. The sky was so much darker than it should have been – it was like being trapped inside a cave, again. And still she cried, and Ishizu herself could not help but feel the trickle of hysterics dripping through her chest.

The dark being that was only a shell of who Ishizu had once known laughed, the evil sound echoing through the air.

"Shizuka," the pharaoh was saying. "Shizuka, you have to get up. Come on – we have to check on Jonouchi."

Shizuka shook her head harshly, her eyes still squeezed shut.

"I didn't want to see this," she said through her sobs. "I wish I had never opened my eyes again! I didn't want to see things like this!"

Ishizu found her own shoulders starting to tremble. She could only watch in her mind's eye as she saw Marik huddle in a corner, clutching at his head and screaming at something that only he could see or feel. She had wanted so badly to hold him – but she could only avert her eyes, wishing she had not had to see it.

Shizuka's sob cracked the air again, and Ishizu gripped the fabric of her dress in clawed hands.

With a purposeful stride, she stepped quietly over to Shizuka.

"Go," she whispered to the pharaoh. "Go. I'll...I'll take care of her."

The pharaoh's red eyes flashed up at her, wet with desperately hidden tears. He nodded jerkily. Then he stood and half-ran to the elevator where Jonouchi had just disappeared. Shizuka never opened her eyes, even as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Katsuya, Katsuya," she whispered. "Why do I have to see you...!"

For a moment, Ishizu saw Marik in the throws of a terrible nightmare. She had been too afraid to look. Afraid of him, afraid for him, afraid of herself.

Not this time.

Gently, Ishizu drew the red-headed girl into her arms.

"You mustn't...look away, Kawai-san," she said softly. "You can't look away."

Shizuka sobbed into Ishizu's chest, her shoulders shaking.

"I wish I was blind again! I wish I didn't have to see this!"

Ishizu shook her head.

"No, Shizuka, no. You can't...you can't look away from the dark things in life. If we didn't see the darkness, how would we understand how beautiful the light was?"

It was like she was holding herself for a moment, her own twelve-year-old self sobbing in a corner with no one to comfort her, who could not look at her brother because she knew she could not help him, and she hated herself for it.

"Listen to me, Shizuka," she said. "You have to open your eyes. You have to. If you look away – if you look away from the one you love, even in the hard times, you will regret it forever. Please, believe me."

Her own deep brown eyes found the flat violet ones of Yami no Marik, leering at her from the other side of the stadium. His mouth twitched into half a grin, and Ishizu found tears swimming in her own eyes.

"Shizuka...don't look away," she said. "Jonouchi-san needs you. Your brother needs you. Don't...don't look away from him."

Gently, she moved Shizuka to an arm's length from herself, gripping her shoulders softly. She slid a finger under Shizuka's chin, helping her to look up. Slowly, slowly, slowly, Shizuka opened her eyes. They were red and swollen with tears.

"We can't look away," Ishizu said. "We can't."

Shizuka swallowed, bit back a final sob, and nodded. Her eyes did not close.

And neither did Ishizu's.

A/N: I feel like Ishizu sees a lot of herself in Shizuka. I'm not as big a fan of this couple as I am of sparkleshipping, though. I see them too much as sisters than a couple. Next is Sombershipping (Ryo x Amane). This one will be sad. :'(


	94. Sombershipping

_Sombershipping (Ryo x Amane)_

"I'm sorry."

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Are you holding up?"

"We're all here for you."

"They're in a better place now."

Ryo nodded dully at the canned comments. They meant nothing. Well, maybe they meant something, but Ryo couldn't understand them right now. It was nothing more than another language, these words of consolation. They could never understand this.

The sky was gray and somber, matching his dark suit that was just a little too big, and the other dark forms that littered the graveyard, talking in murmured tones to each other. Why was black the color of mourning? Wouldn't it be healthier to make everyone dress cheerfully, instead of letting everyone wallow in their grief until they got sick with it? If mom and Amane were really in a better place, shouldn't they be celebrating?

It wasn't that Ryo wanted to celebrate. Far from it. But if people could pretend to be happier about this so-called "better place," then maybe he would feel better about losing them. The dirt had already been tossed onto the grave. Part of him hoped it would wash away when the rain came. Amane was claustrophobic. She wouldn't like being buried.

Although others drifted away from the graveyard, no one stopped to tell him to leave. Not even his father came back for him. So no one else was around to watch Ryo kneel in front of the grave that bore his mother's and sister's names, getting dirt all over his dress pants.

"Come back," Ryo whispered. "Please. Please. Come back."

But although the stone must have heard him, it did not respond. He had known it wouldn't.

Thunder rumbled distantly. He should go, or he would be soaked. But he couldn't stand up. He could leave them – couldn't leave her.

"Amane-chan," he said. "We...we had so much to do together. So much that you wanted to see. Why did you have to go?"

A soft glow, no more than the whisper of light, glimmered behind him. With wide eyes, he whipped around.

Amane stood behind him, rippling as though she was an image of water.

"_Please don't cry, nii-chan," _she said.

He was crying again, without even realizing it. He tried to still the tears for Amane's sake, but he could not. They came by themselves, until he was sobbing almost hysterically on the ground.

Amane came closer, but not quite close enough to touch him.

"We...we were going to do so much," Ryo said. "I was going to teach you to play Monster World with me, and we were going to travel to Europe together, and see all these things –"

"_Nii-chan...I'm sorry," _Amane said. "_I – I wanted to do those things too. I did. I didn't want to go. I don't want to go now."_

Ryo sobbed again.

"I wish I was dead," he said.

Amane dropped to her knees in front of him, her brown eyes wide with a pleading terror.

"_No, don't wish that, nii-chan! Don't! I miss you too, but you can't die!"_

"Why not? What's left for me anymore? Dad won't take care of me – you know that."

"_But remember – remember nii-chan? All the things you said that you wanted to do with me? You have to still do them! Go see all those things that we couldn't see together!"_

Amane's voice was choked with tears. She almost couldn't finish what she was going to say.

"_Because I want to hear all about them when you get here. Okay? I want you to smile, and be happy, and make friends, and do and see all the things that I can't. So then you'll have lots of stories for me when you do get here."_

Ryo looked up at her, feeling a tremble in his limbs. The sky broke open, and a drizzle started to fall.

"_Promise me, nii-chan_," Amane said. "_Promise me that you're going to live. Please?"_

Ryo swallowed. He wiped the tears from his face, although the drizzle merely coated his face anyway.

"I promise, Amane. I promise."

Thunder boomed again, and the rain grew harder. Amane's smile was truly dazzling. Then lightning flashed. And when the light faded from Ryo's eyes, Amane was gone.

He stood up, already soaked to the bone. He gave the grave one last glance.

Then he ran from the graveyard.

_I promise you, Amane. I promise._

A/N: I'm never okay with incestuous relationships. They just make me irrationally angry because they remind me about how people don't understand the different kinds of love anymore. But I'm pretty sure I've made this rant before, so I'll cut myself off now. Next is Soloshipping (Mai x Rishid).


	95. Soloshipping

_Soloshipping (Mai x Rishid)_

Contrary to popular belief, Mai Kujaku was not the type of woman that had significant others. Sure, she liked to flaunt her sex appeal – but then, most of her opponents were male, and so it was simply another strategy to distract them. But for the most part, Mai hated men, and that didn't seem likely to change for a while. There might be a few exceptions, but for now, Mai was more than happy living life solo.

The same seemed to be true of the tall, hooded man that the others called Marik. He was an enigmatic figure. With his dark, tattooed face, mostly shaved head, and dark clothing, he was like something that had stepped out of a sultry romance or vampire movie. He was dark, certainly not unattractive, and the silent, brooding type. Mai practically hated him on sight.

That wasn't something that was about to change when she came across him on her way to the blimp's main foyer. This was her first time seeing him up close, and she was somewhat startled at just how tall he was. Yugi had told her that he was the leader of some international crime organization. More like a cult, if his tattoos had anything to say about it.

He gave her only a passing glance with his deep-set eyes at her curt nod and 'hello', and continued on his way without a word. If there was one thing Mai didn't like, it was being dismissed off hand. Especially by a man.

"Hey," she said, turning around and folding her arms. "That was pretty rude, don't you think? Not even a hello? Or a nod to acknowledge that I was addressing you?"

He paused for a half a moment, but did not turn around.

"Just because we're opponents doesn't mean you can't be civil," Mai said.

He still didn't answer.

"Hello, Earth to whoever you are," Mai said. "I'm talking to you. Are you deaf?"

Finally, he turned around. His eyes met hers, a deep, dark silence that shocked Mai and nearly made her take a step back. She had never seen such immeasurable, implacable depths in _anyone's_ eyes. They were completely unreadable, like twin pools of cave water – who knew how deep those underground lakes could go, perhaps even to the center of the Earth.

"I apologize," he said with a soft, unassuming voice. "My mind was on other things. I am...not very good at socializing. I apologize."

And with a polite nod in her direction, he turned and walked away.

Mai's feet froze to the ground for a long moment. A man like that...she didn't think there were words to describe the depths that man was concealing. Anything could have been hidden in those eyes. Anything.

But despite Yugi's warnings, she didn't think...that anything that bad could be found in a man with a voice as soft as that.

A/N: If I wasn't such a Polarshipper, this could be a cute pairing. :3 I feel like I could go somewhere with this, but I have neither the time nor the patience to begin even any more ideas for projects. Next is Softshipping (Shizuka x Ryo).


	96. Softshipping

_Softshipping (Shizuka x Ryo)_

Everything about her was soft. Her voice, her eyes, presumably her skin, although he would be embarrassed to try and find that out. Even her very presence was soft and unassuming, like a flower blooming in the middle of a wide field: still beautiful even though no one was around to see it.

He was rather embarrassed to be thinking like this about Jonouchi's younger sister. He wasn't _really_ attracted to her. Not like that. Anyway, he would never allow himself to get close to anyone in that way. He knew what his dark half would do to him if he ever got such an idea in his head. But she _was_ very pretty, so he was all right with allowing himself to at least look at her. And surprisingly, no one else really seemed to notice how pretty she was.

It was like she faded into the background, her edges blurring like an old photograph. It had to do with the way she held herself, the private way that she smile, the demureness that caused her to step back from the action. Maybe that was why Ryo thought she was so pretty. Because sometimes, he felt like he faded into the background, too. He was lost in favor of the dark being that inhabited him, unable to partake in whatever story was around him because he was crushed by the overwhelming presence that Yami no Bakura exerted over him.

Shizuka smiled across at her brother as they waited for the names to drop from the ball machine. Ryo hoped that he wouldn't go first. He didn't even know how he had gotten here – no, forget that, he knew. His dark half had taken over him again. He had no choice but to participate in whatever dark scheme his other self was planning. No choice at all.

He glanced surreptitiously across to Shizuka again. At any moment, his dark half could take his will away from him. The other one could too, that other presence that had invaded his mind some time ago. He thought it was probably the Marik that his friends kept talking about. But either way, he had no control over himself to tell anyone what was happening to him. Either spirit in his head would take over the moment he tried.

So he contented himself just with looking across at Shizuka, just barely concealing his thoughts about her.

Shizuka. Even her name was soft.

If only he could find the words to speak to her, just once, so that she knew he was there. But his name was being called. He was first to duel. And he could feel the other one shifting in his mind, starting to take control of his reactions and motions.

Shizuka would never know. And he would never know, either.

A/N: I. LOVE. THIS. PAIRING. In Yu-Gi-Oh, I feel like the het pairings don't get enough love. Everyone's all obsessed with their yaoi. Okay, next is Slipshipping (Jonouchi x Miho). Okay, well there's a het pairing that doesn't really need any love...


	97. Snareshipping

_Snareshipping (Jonouchi x Otogi)_

_(So I somehow skipped over three shippings on the list...so I'm going to post those before I post Slateshipping. Sorry PandaTeddyClaws, it's coming today, I promise.)_

"You're an asshole."

"Says the mutt."

"I rest my case."

Anzu glanced up from the soup she was stirring on the stove.

"How long have they been at that?" she asked, as she taste tested the miso.

"An hour? Two?" Yugi said.

His violet eyes lifted from the fish he was busy cutting and moved out towards the doorway into his living room. Jonouchi and Otogi sat cross-legged on either sides of the table, glaring at each other over a board.

"You're just jealous cause I'm better at games than you," Otogi said.

"As if! The only reason you keep winnin' this piece of crap is because you designed the damn thing! Let's play Duel Monsters instead, I'll whup you!"

"Ha! If you play Duel Monsters the way you play Dungeon Dice Monsters, I'll defeat you easily."

"Why you –"

Jonouchi leapt to his feet, fists clenched. Otogi flicked a die at the boy's forehead, and Jonouchi stepped back, rubbing at his head.

"Cheater!"

"Sit down and play, mutt, or are you afraid I'm going to win again?"

"Not a chance!"

Anzu sighed.

"I wish the others would get here soon," Anzu said. "Maybe then they'd stop going at each other so incessantly. If they keep going, I might have to treat them like kids and make them sit in a corner."

Yugi grinned at her exasperated face. She was going to be a good mom someday. The thought made him blush furiously, and he quickly turned his mind to other things.

"I don't think they're too bad," Yugi said. "After all, Jonouchi and Honda were like this when they first met; Honda told me. This is probably just how they start their friendships."

A soft 'thock' and an angry shout came from the living room, and when the two in the kitchen glanced up, they could see the two boys throwing dice and toy monsters at each other from across the table.

"I will never understand boys," Anzu said.

Yugi laughed nervously.

A/N: I do not support this pairing at all, so I thought I should take a different perspective than normal on it. Next is Snapshipping (Seto x Miho x Jonouchi). Geez, another Miho one...


	98. Snapshipping

_Snapshipping (Jonouchi x Miho x Seto)_

_(Using the manga version of Miho...)_

Ever since the middle school fiasco, Miho was adamant about never telling anyone who she had a crush on, not even her best friend. The only way to achieve this, however, was to pretend that she wasn't interested in anyone at all, and that could sometimes become difficult.

"Isn't Matsuda-kun soooo cute?" Kanae squealed. "He's really smart, too! I think you'd be really good with him, Miho-chan!"

Miho had this scenario down to an art. She blushed slightly and smiled demurely at her friend.

"Oh, no, I'm not really thinking about relationships right now. I'd rather focus on my studies."

"Uwah, Miho-chan is so mature!" Chihiro said, smiling with a sparkle. "I wish I could be as cool and smart as you, Miho-chan."

Miho deflected the compliments gently and demurely, and quickly, the conversation turned to someone else's relationship status. She sighed quietly. Another instance averted.

Still, today was not to be her lucky day. Kanae seemed determined to play matchmaker today.

"Okay, quiz time!" she said, punching her fist into the air.

"Geez, Kanae, you are such a spaz," Chihiro said.

Kanae ignored her, turning her bright eyes to the girls that made up their little lunch group.

"Okay! So here's the quiz – who do you think would be Miho-chan's perfect type?"

Miho flushed for real this time as everyone turned to look at her.

"Miho's type, hm?" Chihiro said, resting her head on her hands. "Well, I don't think that's too tough."

"Yeah," said Miyako. "He should be...smart, and mature, and hard-working."

"And he should be kind of tall, too, don't you think?" Kanae said. "Miho would look good with a tall guy."

"What do you think, Miho-chan? What's your ideal type?" Chihiro said.

"Oh, I, um, I don't really think about that," Miho said. "I don't think I'm old enough to be thinking about relationships –"

"Ah ha! He should also be very committed!" Kanae said. "Maybe an older guy, a college student or something! Intellectual, romantic, and sensitive –"

The classroom door slid open.

"I don't see why you have to follow me all the way here," said a cold voice.

"Hey, this is my classroom too, ya rich snob! If you don't like breathing the same air as me, maybe you oughta get yourself a gas mask!"

The arguing voices belonged to the gangly, blond-headed form of Katsuya Jonouchi and the sharp-cut, brown-haired figure of Seto Kaiba.

"Oh, wow, Kaiba-kun's in class again," Miyako said. "Wow, I thought he had quit coming for good."

"Why does he even have to be in high school? He's, like, a genius or something, isn't he?"

Miho slunk down deep in her chair, just glad that the conversation about her type was over. Kanae didn't give up on things easily, though.

"He's smart, right? Maybe he'd be good for Miho-chan!"

"Kaiba-san? No way," Chihiro said. "He's so mean. I mean, look at how he treats Jonouchi-san."

"Ya know, just cause you've got money doesn't mean you have to act like an asshole," Jonouchi said at the other side of the classroom.

"And just because you don't doesn't mean you have to act like a mutt," Kaiba said.

"What? I oughta knock you into next week, rich boy!"

"Well, Jonouchi kind of asks for it," Miyako said.

"Yeah, Jonouchi's not so cool himself," Chihiro agreed. "He's such a delinquent."

"Certainly not a good match for our Miho-chan," Kanae said, as if this were some kind of job she had been assigned to complete. "Well, who else is there in class?"

As the chatter continued, Miho allowed her gaze, just for a moment, to wander to the other side of the classroom. Jonouchi and Kaiba were still arguing. Kaiba's harsh, cold blue eyes flashed from under thick brown bangs; Jonouchi's brown eyes had a fire in them to match even the coldest of Kaiba's glares. For a moment, just the barest of indulgences, she imagined herself standing in between them, and they weren't fighting anymore.

Her face flushed even harder, but she smiled a little at the thought. It would never happen. She's never be beside either of them, much less both of them...but it was a nice thought.

"Huh? Miho-chan? What are you smiling about?"

Miho blinked out of her reverie. Her friends were looking at her. Although still red in the face, she smiled brightly at them.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said.

_I can never tell them_, she thought. _No. Never. They wouldn't get it._

A/N: I feel like the manga Miho is a romantic. :3 I like her, or at least, I like my interpretation of her. Next is Slumbershipping, and then I'll have replaced the three that I forgot to write, and I can get back on schedule.


	99. Slumbershipping

_Slumbershipping (Ryo x Noa)_

Ryo hated sleeping. He hated the loss of control that it represented, the loss of knowing what was going on around him. He especially hated the dreams that went along with it: scenes of the car crash, the hints and shadows of Yami no Bakura's bloody memories, the terrifying feeling of watching himself being used as a weapon against his friends...

So it was without joy that Ryo lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling and pretending that he didn't know it was nearly three o'clock in the morning.

"_Make sure I wake up, okay?"_

Hm? What had that been? A voice? Ryo blinked, and then realized that he had been just about to fall asleep. Maybe the voice was nothing more than a dream he had nearly fallen into. In that case, he was glad it had woken him up.

"_I'm afraid to go to sleep...dad...I don't want to go to sleep."_

There it was again! But Ryo's eyes were so heavy...he could not resist the call of the dream any longer.

"_I don't...want to...go to sleep."_

"_It's okay, Noa. You can go to sleep. It's okay to sleep."_

"_If I sleep, I'll never...wake up again..."_

"_Yes you will. You will. I promise."_

"_What...what if...I don't?..."_

"_I promise, Noa. I promise that you will wake up again."_

"_O...okay...only if...you promise..."_

_Ryo stood in swirling gray mists. He couldn't see the ground, but he knew it was there. Someone else was there too. He was...not tall, at least a head shorter than Ryo. His school uniform appeared fancy, but also somewhat dated. He was turned away from Ryo, but Ryo could still see that his shoulders were shaking._

"_Hello?" he said tentatively. "Are you...okay?"_

_The boy jolted, and whipped around. His eyes were wide with fright, and dripping with barely hidden tears._

"_Who – who are you?" he asked. "How did you get here?"_

"_My name is Ryo," Ryo said. "Ryo Bakura. Are you okay?"_

_The boy swallowed, then shook his head slowly._

"_No," he said. "I'm not all right..."_

_Ryo took a step forward, feeling more than a little confused, but concerned all the same._

"_Can I do anything?"_

"_We only just met. Why would you care?"_

"_Well...someone's got to take the first step, right?"_

_The boy looked at him, both scared and surprised. He scuffed one shoe across the ground, and ducked his head._

"_I'm...I'm lost," he said. "I'm afraid to close my eyes...because what if I don't open them again? I'm not even sure where I am. I'm supposed to go somewhere...but where?"_

_His voice cracked on the last sentence. Ryo came forward again, so that he was standing in front of the boy._

"_What's your name?" he asked._

_The boy sniffed._

"_Noa. Noa Kaiba."_

Everything came rushing to Ryo then. He remembered that name: Yugi had told him about it after Battle City was over. He was the digitized version of Gozaburo Kaiba's son, Seto and Mokuba's adopted brother, who died before they came to the Kaiba household. He had tried to escape back into the real world in Mokuba's body, but had come back to rescue them all when the computer was in danger of being destroyed. Why was the boy here, in Ryo's dream?

Except it didn't feel like a dream anymore. The world felt solid, real. Even Noa seemed more real that before.

"_What?" _Noa asked, his voice still wavery and dream like. "_What's wrong?"_

"Noa," Ryo asked. "Why are you lost?"

Noa considered this for a moment.

"_I...well...I'm just not sure where to go,"_ he said. "_I'm really nothing more than a computer virus...I can't even be sure that I'm the real Noa, you know?"_

"I don't understand."

"_Well, what if my soul went someplace else when I died? What if I'm just a copy? Can humans really become computers?"_ Noa asked, a dull tone in his voice. "_I've kept asking myself these stupid questions since the computer blew up. I don't know where I am, I don't know where I'm going. Will I...be like this forever...?"_

Ryo knelt in front of Noa as the tears started to run down the young boy's face.

"Noa, it's okay," he said. "Don't cry."

Noa shook his head.

"_I'm so tired," _he said. "_But I'm so afraid to sleep. What if I never wake up again?"_

Ryo sighed softly. He thought the same thing, sometimes.

"Maybe you're tired for a reason, Noa," he said. "Maybe you need to sleep, so that you can wake up somewhere better."

"_My dad told me that once. I woke up in a digital world where nothing ever changes. I wouldn't call that better."_

Noa's voice was sardonic, too old and cynical for his apparent age.

"But this is different, now," Ryo said. "I'm afraid to sleep too, you know? But here we both are. In a dream together."

Noa shifted, not looking convinced.

"You know what my mom always told me?" Ryo said. "About bad dreams?"

Noa didn't answer. Ryo pressed on.

"If you fall asleep in one dream, you can wake up in a better one," he said. "Maybe that's true here."

"_What if I'm not real?" _Noa said. "_What if the real Noa died already?"_

"I can't answer those questions. But I think you can...if you let yourself."

He gripped Noa's shoulders, and the two pairs of eyes met for a long moment. Slowly, Noa's eyes started to flutter, and his knees started to shake.

"_I...I think..."_ he said. "_I think I'm_ going to sleep now."

He collapsed, falling into Ryo. Ryo tried to support him, but the boy simply dissolved. Ryo didn't have time to wonder if this had worked when the misty world exploded around him.

He awoke with a groan. What time was it? His head hurt. He rolled over to see the clock.

There was a face on the pillow beside him.

Ryo nearly cried out. But when he had calmed himself down, he realized that he knew that face. Was he still dreaming? Ryo pinched himself. It hurt so much that he nearly cried out again. No way...this was...real.

Noa's eyes fluttered open.

"Ugh," he said.

His eyes found Ryo's, and widened. Ryo smiled sheepishly.

"Well...you woke up again, huh?"

A/N: I love Noa so much. *squee!* Even though he's just a filler villain, I can't help but love him. Okay, I finally caught up, and I can get back to Slateshipping next!


	100. Slipshipping

_Slipshipping (Jonouchi x Miho)_

_(I can never decide which version of Miho I want to use whenever she pops up. I think I'll be using the manga version, since I like that Miho better.)_

Katsuya Jonouchi had never seen his friend/rival Hiroto Honda like this. The normally tough, brooding delinquent was actually _fawning_ about this...girl called something, Jonouchi couldn't remember. Honda kept calling her Ribbon-chan, but Jonouchi seriously doubted that that was her real name.

It was both embarrassing and annoying to be around Honda these days. Honda couldn't talk about anything except Ribbon-chan that, Ribbon-chan this. Jonouchi hoped he'd ask the girl out soon, just so that Jonouchi could be spared the annoyance of hearing about her all the time.

The sun was turning the classroom into shades of orange and red, and Jonouchi wondered how he had gotten roped into this. It was his turn to clean the classroom, but he usually ditched those days. Damn, Yugi must really be reforming him or something, because here he was with a bucket and a broom.

He swept half-heartedly, feeling moody. The only thing that was really keeping him sane was thinking about how annoying it would be if Honda were here, so that he would relish instead of hate the fact that he was cleaning alone. But still, weren't there usually two people assigned to classroom duty each day? Maybe the other kid ditched cause they didn't want to work with him. It was logical enough.

The door opened with a quiet sound, as faint as a butterfly taking flight. Jonouchi glanced back, more interested in the motion than the sound.

A small, slight girl stood in the doorway, obviously surprised at seeing Jonouchi there. Long lavender tresses bounced over her eyes and dropped across her back, pulled back with a bright yellow ribbon. Her eyes were almost the same color as her hair, but with a tinge of orange – although that might have been the light. Jonouchi recognized her almost instantly. It was Miss Ribbon-chan.

"Oh," she said softly, stepping into the room. "I'm sorry, Jonouchi-san, I didn't think you had started cleaning already."

More like she hadn't thought he would be here at all, Jonouchi thought dryly, but he didn't say anything. He just shrugged and continued to sweep. Ribbon-chan seemed about to say something else. But the words never came, and she instead turned to the blackboards and started to wipe them down quietly.

The silence dragged out. Jonouchi finally reached the end of the classroom with his broom. He glanced back surreptitiously, sneaking a look at this supposedly fantastic Ribbon-chan.

Although her hair was an interesting color, she wasn't too much to look at. The ribbon kept the hair from her face, pulled back in a very demure, school-girl style. She obviously still wore her school uniform, and it was hard to imagine her wearing anything else. Although it was hard to judge from the other side of the classroom, she wasn't much taller than Yugi, and her curves were somewhat muted. She stood on tiptoe on a stool to reach the top of the blackboard. Her fingers were pale and delicate. She was pretty much every inch a mature and quiet young lady – certainly not a person that Honda could ever hope to end up with, Jonouchi was none too pleased to conclude.

She pushed herself up just a little bit higher, trying to reach the last corner of the blackboard. In a flash, Jonouchi could see what was about to happen – the stool was missing a foot cover, which put it off balance, and her extra push to get to the highest spot was causing it to tip, and her being on tiptoe was not good for balance –

With a muffled yelp, Ribbon-chan wheeled her arms backwards, trying not to fall over. Jonouchi dropped the broom. His long legs covered the classroom in a matter of seconds, and she dropped rather harmlessly backwards into his arms.

"Oh," she said, blushing profusely. "I...thank you."

"Geez, be more careful," Jonouchi said, pushing her back upright.

She blushed even harder.

"Oh, right," she said, so quietly that Jonouchi could barely hear. "I...well, the classroom is clean now."

And before Jonouchi could stop her, she slipped away and disappeared back into the hallway. Jonouchi glanced back at the classroom. It was really only half finished but...whatever. He didn't really feel like staying any longer.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and left the room as it was.

A/N: And now Miho probably has a crush on Jonouchi, which probably led her to reject Honda's confession later in the manga. I'm so evil. :3 Next is Slickshipping (Thief King Bakura x Priest Akhenaden). Gross.


	101. Slickshipping

_Slickshipping (Thief King Bakura x Priest Akhenaden)_

Sand blew across the darkened pathway. The warm brown stone scattered with sand was deceiving – this pathway was actually quite slick. It was the sand that made it so, constantly blowing across in dangerous patterns. But Akhenaden was familiar with the safe spots, and so he walked without worry.

The sun had set some hours ago, and the night guard had switched into place. He nodded to the two guards that stood in front of the Guardian's Gate, and they nodded back. It was common enough to see a guardian or two entering the temple grounds. After all, this was where the tablets of the guardian's kas were kept, sealed away in their own world through the magic of stone until called upon for battle.

Akhenaden did not plan on calling upon any of his contracted creatures tonight. He simply craved the quiet and solitude that his own small shrine would give him. He had been thinking too much the past couple of days, thinking on things that he had hoped to forget but knew he could not. He needed some form of escape.

The temple doors opened for him at just a single glance. The Millennium Eye worked in that way.

He stepped into the light of flickering candles; they were a spelled set that burned without ceasing, and he was glad for their silent company now.

The candlelight threw eerie shadows across the tall walls around him, bearing reliefs of fabulous monsters all about. He climbed the stairs onto the main dais. Each of the guardian's shrines had one; it was where they stood to draw power from the creatures so that their spells would have power, as well as a spot for prayer, and the stone beneath which they would one day be buried. But Akhenaden did not plan to use the dais for any of these uses. He simply needed to sit down.

He had barely ascended the final stair when a strange, niggling feeling came over him. That feeling did not have time to settle before he felt a hot breath against his neck, behind him.

"You should really close the door when you go into a place alone, Akhenaden," said a cold, amused voice that Akhenaden knew all too well. "Things might follow you inside."

Akhenaden whipped around, his old bones protesting the motion. Sure enough, Bakura stood behind him, grinning that dark smile. Akhenaden's heart dropped. He was not prepared for this – none of his spells were ready, and his magic was depleted with the turning of the hours. He may have been standing in the place where he was most powerful, but even he knew his own limitations.

"What are you doing here, Bakura?" Akhenaden said. He moved slowly backwards, so as to put space between them. "How did you get past the guards?"

Bakura just smiled slowly. He fingered the golden ring about his neck, and Akhenaden felt a wash of helplessness come over him. Mahad, the greatest wizard of all the Guardians, had fallen before this terror. Akhenaden was old. He had felt the passing of his power long ago. Could he possibly stand against Bakura?

"No one sees me when I do not want them to," Bakura said easily. He stepped closer, his red robe fluttering in the motion and sending shadows skittering about the chamber. "But what about you, Akhenaden? What brings you here alone on a night like this, when you know that I am about? When you know that it is you that I hate the most?"

Akhenaden had no answer for him. He was too busy trying to weave a spell behind his back.

"That won't work, and you know it, old man," Bakura said with a hiss. "What spell is that, anyway? An attack? A shield? Or perhaps you are trying to call your fellow guardians to your aid?"

Akhenaden still did not answer. The spell was finished – it needed only to be activated. He took another step back, assuming that Bakura would follow him.

"What do you want, Bakura?" Akhenaden said. "If it is my life that you desire, go ahead. Take it. I do indeed deserve punishment for my crimes."

Bakura sneered.

"You do not even understand the weight of the crime that you committed. You have no sorrow for the lives you took, even now."

Bakura did in fact step closer, and as he talked, Akhenaden flung his spell forward. It exploded in a rage of gold and silver light in Bakura's face. Bakura gasped, stepping back and out of the way. But that was only the distraction. Akhenaden intoned a few heavy syllables, and golden lights drew themselves around Bakura. Dark eyes flashed as the light formed a cage around him and slowly began to draw inwards.

Bakura's dark eyes flicked almost lazily to Akhenaden.

"Cute," he said. "But then, it wouldn't have been as much fun if you hadn't put up a fight."

And with a snap of his fingers, purple magic formed around him. It consumed the gold in an instant, and before Akhenaden could respond, it tore through him. He nearly cried out, but the magic silenced him. He could only drop to his knees, gasping for air.

Bakura grabbed the collar of his tunic and forced him to look up.

"I would love so much to kill you, right now," Bakura said. "But that wouldn't solve any of my problems. No, no, I have a much better idea."

Bakura's free hand came up and brushed the Millennium Eye. It was the barest of touches, but the motion sent a rushing headache through Akhenaden.

"Ah, there we are," Bakura said. "So. Seto is your son, is he? How interesting."

Fear joined the pulsing headache.

"Leave him alone, Bakura," Akhenaden said. "Don't touch him."

Bakura just laughed, a hollow sound.

"I won't do a thing to him," Bakura said. "But you might."

He touched the Millennium Eye again, and this time, when the headache seared through him, Akhenaden's consciousness did not arise again.

Well, it did, but if the Akhenaden of five minutes ago could have seen the darkness in his own eyes, he would have killed himself before he could do any damage.

As it was, Bakura simply laughed again, and left to let his dark magic finish erasing Akhenaden's good intentions, so that only the darkness remained.

A/N: Yeah. I had no idea what to do with this one. I had fun with the descriptions, though. Next is Sleepshipping (Marik x Possessed Jonouchi x Rishid).


	102. Sleepshipping

_Sleepshipping (Marik x Possessed Jonouchi x Rishid)_

Rishid glanced across at the blond boy dubiously. He had the trademark hollow eyes of the Millennium Rod's work, but there was something else there that worried him. He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Marik seemed to notice the glance.

"He was difficult," he said, as though that answered some unspoken question. "His mind was fairly strong."

Rishid nodded, but he still did not understand what exactly was different about Jonouchi. But it was not his place to ask, or even to speak. Marik's violet eyes hovered on the silent Rishid for a moment, then they returned to staring at the Millennium Rod. The gold item glinted in the sunlight of the harbor. That eye seemed to stare right through Marik, into his soul and the hatred that seethed there.

A sharp pain shot through the back of his head and Marik winced. Rishid shifted, and Marik cursed himself for allowing that weakness to show through. Controlling so many minds at once was starting to wear on him. Of course, his own Ghouls were a fairly simple bunch. Only a few of them were currently being controlled, and that was simply for the sake of being able to see anywhere whenever he needed too. So many it wasn't the number of minds.

Maybe it was just Jonouchi.

The boy stared blankly at nothing. Marik could still remember the fervent struggle to gain control of his mind. He felt sore, as though he had physically been fighting the blond boy. Rishid's dark eyes glanced over Marik, and Marik bristled. He could tell Rishid was worried about him – but he didn't have the right to be worried.

"Shouldn't you be doing something else, Rishid?" Marik snapped.

Rishid did not answer. He never did. Marik supposed that was why he still kept Rishid around. He didn't ask stupid questions, and he never asked if he was all right. That was good, because Rishid of all people should know: Marik was never all right.

Jonouchi shuddered slightly, and the pain grew in Marik's head again.

"Go back to sleep," he muttered, tightening his hold.

Jonouchi shuddered again. Then the part of him that struggled did just that: it went back to sleep. Marik used the lull to renter the Millennium Rod's power. It was a strange thing, how it worked. He would get a vision of a person's thoughts, manifested in the shape of boxes. Close the right boxes, and the person was Marik's to command.

His eyes wandered to Rishid. Well, some of them. He had seen the mind of Rishid, but his boxes were, for the most part, closed up tight. Marik could neither access nor block them. The only thing that happened when Marik used the Rod against Rishid was that his voice could be projected into the small boxes that must remain open, the ones that were necessary for consciousness. The rest were locked away from him. Rishid had locked them himself.

Perhaps that was the real reason why he never spoke.

Jonouchi's mind was different. Almost everything was open – he had no idea about how to shield his own mind. Things tumbled from the boxes in a jumbled mess of everything. And he had been adamant about keeping them open. Marik had been unable to close a single one – until he found a tiny, closed box shunted to a corner of Jonouchi's mind.

When he had opened that box, every dark, angry, and selfish thought or action Jonouchi had ever done tumbled out. The other boxes snapped shut, like a defense mechanism to keep the darkness from tainting anything else. With a little bit of Marik's encouragement, he had forced the box to grow. Jonouchi was not so much under _Marik's_ control as he was under the control of his selfish and hateful self.

"Marik," Rishid said, just a soft pair of syllables that meant nothing to Marik. And yet, their soft, gentle pronunciation by Rishid caused him to pause and look up at the tall man that he had once called his elder brother. His dark eyes were not judgmental. They were only questioning. While Rishid would never say the words out loud, he would think them, and Marik would understand that he was thinking them.

_What is wrong?_

Marik hesitated. He didn't really know, but he did feel that something was wrong.

There had been so much happiness spilling out of Jonouchi. So many both sad and happy things, all jumbled together, making him what he was. There was nothing he would change about himself, except to lock away the darkness.

What would his own boxes look like, Marik wondered. How many of his boxes had he closed to hide things away? Had he hidden the right things?

Jonouchi shuddered once more, and this time, Marik did not increase his control.

Maybe what was really wrong with him was what Jonouchi already understood. Maybe, of all three of them that stood there, only Jonouchi had closed the right boxes.

A/N: Abstract, but threesomes are difficult. And I wanted to explore Marik's mind control thing in a very Yu-Gi-Oh way; after all, Shadi sees a manifestation of a person's soul like a room when he takes over minds. Shouldn't Marik's powers work in a similar way? Next is Slaveshipping (Pegasus x Mokuba). ...geez, and I thought Rebecca and Pegasus was bad...


	103. Slaveshipping

_Slaveshipping (Mokuba x Pegasus)_

_(Manga continuity...just before Seto arrives to face Pegasus in Duelist Kingdom)_

The boy did not move. He barely even blinked. His dull grayish eyes stared at nothing.

Pegasus found himself more unsettled by this whole affair than he had first thought. It had been one thing when Mokuba was storming around the room he was locked in, shouting words a boy his age should not know and making threats about what would happen when his brother woke up and found out what happened. It was another thing entirely to see the recently fiery young boy reduced to this lifeless shell.

Pegasus looked away from Mokuba for a moment, trying to focus on the task at hand. Seto was in the castle, and would be visiting him shortly. He would inevitably want to use his new Duel Disk against him in the coming battle. But Pegasus knew the rules to this kind of psychological warfare, and the first one was this: never play on your enemy's terms. He thought he knew how to convince Kaiba to duel him the traditional way.

Despite these thoughts, his eyes kept wandering over to the shell that had once been Mokuba. It wasn't Mokuba now. Mokuba was inside the card that Pegasus held.

Still, it was somewhat unnerving to see the boy so still and quiet. That was one of the failings of humans, Pegasus supposed. They became so attached to the physical forms of the people they knew and loved.

"Seto..."

The word was so soft, so very much like a breath on the wind, that Pegasus almost hadn't heard it. He glanced sharply at Mokuba, and was shocked to see a silent tear running down the blank face. How was that possible? The shell could not be feeling anything because the soul had been separated!

He glanced automatically down at the card he held in his hand. The gleaming image of the trapped Mokuba greeted him. But on the card, too, the tear was evident.

He glanced back at Mokuba one more time. No more sounds or tears escaped him.

But as the door opened and one of his men walked in, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt about this whole affair. He nodded absently at the news that Kaiba was waiting in the duel room. He even stood up and walked to the door before he hesitated.

He glanced back at Mokuba, standing lifelessly in the center of the room.

The tear finished running down across the boy's cheek and dripped onto the floor. Pegasus watched its journey to the ground, watched it splinter into several tinier drops.

What would Cyndia have said if she saw this? He didn't want to imagine it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

It was the only thing he could find in himself to say.

But it made no difference anyway.

A/N: This is such a creepy pairing. I fear for the future if this is what some people ship. -_-' Next is (wait for it) Slateshipping (Anzu x Thief King Bakura).


	104. Slateshipping

_Slateshipping (Anzu x Thief King Bakura)_

_(So, last time I checked, I only had 463 shippings to go. XD Pft. "Only.")_

Where was she?

The ground was cold, like stone. When she stood, the scraping of her shoe sounded like chalk across a chalkboard. She winced at the noise as it echoed across the dark corridor. However, no one moved at the sound. No voices alerted her to the presence of anyone else.

Anzu Mazaki was completely alone.

She clasped her hands in front of her heart, glancing around nervously. She had no idea how she had gotten here, or even where "here" was. What had she been doing before now? She couldn't remember, and that was the most terrifying part of this whole business. The only light came from a small window, too high for her to reach and much to small to fit through. The light was soft and silvery, like moonlight. Was it nighttime? Either way, Anzu stood into the only patch of light to be seen for...well, she didn't know how far. The corridor could have been miles long, for all she knew.

A soft voice, like one of the shadows themselves speaking to her, broke the silence.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Anzu whipped around, a thrill of terror flashing through her. It was difficult to adjust to the darkness, but she could make out a shadowed figure leaning against the wall. Eyes glinted through the darkness like a cat's, considering her as a wolf might consider a potential meal.

"Who – who are you?"

"I should be asking _you_ that, little girl," the soft, almost familiar voice retorted. "After all, you did just appear out of thin air."

Anzu took a step back. She had no idea what she was, no idea where this corridor led, no idea about anything whatsoever. She was at a severe disadvantage. The tremble that had begun in her heart started to spread no matter how much she tried to stop it.

"You're trembling, little girl," he hissed softly. "Are you afraid of me?"

Anzu's hands clenched into fists. Her terror was quickly tempered by anger: anger at not knowing what was going on, and anger at this man for scaring her so much.

"No," she snapped. "I am not afraid of you. In fact, I think maybe you're afraid of me, since you seem so uncomfortable stepping into the light!"

The man fell silent for a moment, glinting eyes watching her. Then he began to laugh softly. It was a terrifying, evil sound, and Anzu nearly took a step back.

"Well, well, well," the man said. "You are...most fascinating. Very well, I will step into the light...but, the light is not very wide, so are you prepared for me to get...closer to you?..."

Anzu started to speak, but the man was already moving, taking silent steps into the light. The patch of moonlight was only about three feet wide, so it wasn't long before he stood nearly on top of her, staring down at her with amused dark eyes.

Anzu's breath caught in her throat. She knew this face.

It wasn't quite the same, but she could recognize Bakura anywhere. The same dark, amused eyes, the same easy smile, even the same shaggy white hair – the only thing that told her that this was someone else was his deeply tanned skin and the long scar beneath one eye.

"What's wrong? Am I...too close?" he said, and she could feel his breath on her face.

Anzu wanted desperately to move back, put some space between them, but she refused to back down.

"You can't scare me," she said, glaring right back at him. "Don't even think you can."

He laughed softly. Suddenly, his tanned finger was tracing her throat and coming to rest under her chin, and she stiffened.

"You are indeed feisty," he said, smiling that dark, amused smile Anzu knew all too well. "Like a cat, spitting and hissing at something much bigger than itself."

Anzu smacked his hand away.

"Don't touch me," she said.

"Or what, little cat?" he said teasingly. "What will you do? Will you run? I would catch you. Will you scream? There is no one to hear you at this time of night, in this back hallways of the palace. Will you try to fight? I think that would be most unwise..."

And the moonlight played across the edge of steel, glittering in the corner of Anzu's eye. Now she took a step back.

"Stay away," she said. "Stay away!"

"Oh, no, little cat, you are far too interesting for me to pass by now," he said, and the moonlight contorted his grin into the stuff of nightmares.

She took another step back, out of the rays of moonlight, but he was following her now. She tried to scream, hoping someone might hear her through the window. But he was so quick – he pushed her back against the wall and pressed a hand against her mouth. All she could do was watch as the knife glittered in his free hand, as he twirled it casually.

"You needn't be frightened, little cat," he said, as she glared at him in an attempt to appear unafraid. "I won't hurt you...if I don't have to. Although..."

Now he began to lightly drag the knife's tip across her temple.

"I do wonder how you would look with terror in your eyes..."

Anzu bit his hand. His eyes widened with the shock – it had been sudden enough for his grip to loosen. Anzu smacked his hands away, knocking the knife to the ground in the process. She scrambled to pick up the deadly object before he could even recover.

Anzu didn't stay to see what would happen next. The weapon clenched tightly in her fist, she tore down the hallway. After a moment, his laugh began to echo around her.

Until she could find a way out of this place, she knew, he would be following her. Until she could escape, he would be on her tail...a shadow, just waiting to pounce...

A/N: Annnnd we'll leave Anzu to try and figure things out. I'm so cruel. :) This is probably just more fodder for my planned Anzu-centric fanfiction that I'll start sometime after I finish Wishes of a Different Sort...Anzu is going to be thoroughly scarred when I'm through with her. Next up is Sirenshipping (Yami no Marik x Priest Set). Should be interesting...


	105. Sirenshipping

_Sirenshipping (Priest Set x Yami no Marik)_

An alarm sounded in Set's mind as the Millennium Rod in his hand started to glow. He could feel the tug of ancient magics tightening around him, and he tried to call out, to warn the pharaoh standing beside him –

But this was not an attack on the pharaoh, he suddenly realized. This was the Millennium Rod itself calling out to him, bidding him to come along into the magic to see what it would have of him...

He closed his eyes against the light, and when he opened them again, he was shocked at the sight that surrounded him.

He stood on a large, raised platform in the center of a wide, silvery structure. The horizon spread out all around him in far away shades of blue...was that the sea? How had he gotten to the sea? It was some days travel to the north. And what was he standing on? Some kind of...tower? But it was made of material he had never seen before...where was he?

"Who are you?" a harsh, grating voice demanded.

Set tensed, tightening his fingers around the Millennium Rod as he turned to face this unknown entity.

He was frightening to look upon. His skin was as tanned as Set's own, but his eyes were a flat, emotionless violet that suggested possession. Spikes of unruly platinum blond hair wavered in the wind, and his dark half-grin informed Set immediately of this man's intentions.

"I might ask you the same question," he said. "How did you come to bring me here? For I'm quite certain you did."

"How should I know?" the dark figure said, shrugging. "The Millennium Items do what they want, sometimes."

The Millennium Items? What was he saying? All the Items were in the control of the guardians...

His thoughts trailed away as the hint of sunlight through clouds glinted across gold. This man held the Millennium Rod.

Set's eyes flashed down to his own Millennium Rod, and, to his relief, found it still there.

"You have the Millennium Rod," Set said slowly. "How is this so?"

The man blinked, the smile falling from his face for a moment. His flat violet eyes wandered to Set's Rod, and then to his own.

"Fascinating," he said, the smile returning. "Very fascinating."

Set's knuckles turned white with the strength of his grip. With his free hand, he began making signs of power behind his back. Just in case.

"So, I ask the Rod to show me what it showed the pharaoh, and you appear," the man said, almost to himself. "You look just like Seto. Interesting."

Seto? The name sounded so much like his own. He almost stopping mid-sign in the shock – but luckily, he did not. Not finishing a sign of magic was a terrible mistake to make.

Those violet eyes flicked to Set again.

"So, you must be the original owner of the Rod," he said. "This is fascinating. Are you really here, or are you a vision?"

He seemed to ponder the question for a moment. Then, almost absently, he drew the knife from within the Millennium Rod. Set tensed. He was glad for the magic wards he had set up.

"Only one way to find out if you're real," the man said. "Let's see if you bleed."

Set thrust his free hand forward.

"_Hes!"_

The word of power ripped through the air. The figure froze mid-motion. His eyes flashed with surprise and anger.

"You won't be moving," Set said. "I have seen to that."

How could someone of this nature ever be chosen by the Millennium Rod? It was inconceivable! But, no matter, he had frozen the offender for now. He simply had to find out how to get back...

The man ripped free of the spell with a wordless shout, and was flinging himself at Set before Set could react. Set fell out of the way, starting to weave a new spell. But the man spun around quickly. The knife whistled through the air. A thin cut opened on Set's cheek.

"_Kheper fen!"_

As the figure tried to stab at him, his fingers loosened suddenly. The spell took hold quickly – the man's knees went out next until he was nothing more than a limp noodle on the ground. But then white-hot magic flared from the Millennium Rod. It bashed against Set's mind, causing him to fall backwards.

He didn't think. He reacted.

His own Millennium Rod warmed under his fingers. Gold magic wove around him and tightened. The two magics, identical in form, rushed each other.

They had only barely touched each other when the world exploded.

Everything went white and silent. It was as though the explosion happened in a state of non-being. When Set opened his eyes again, a familiar set of concerned red eyes looked up at him.

"Set?" Atem said. "Are you all right?"

The Rod was still warm in Set's fingers. The cut on his cheek, however, was gone.

"Yes," he said slowly. "I'm fine."

A/N: This was an interesting pairing to try and work with...considering they never meet. Ever. Next is Sinkshipping (Atem x Amane). Geez, another time crossing one...


	106. Sinkshipping

_Sinkshipping (Atem x Amane)_

"_I think I'm sinking," she whispered. "I'm afraid to sink."_

Atem awoke with a start. Had he been dreaming? It was hard to tell.

He lay still on his bed, staring at the faraway stone ceiling. Something had bothered him. Feelings like these should not be taken lightly.

Cautiously, so as not to alert the guards outside his doors to his alertness, he sat up and slid his bare feet around to touch the cold stone floor. He padded, soft as thought, to the balcony. As he stepped out, a cool desert breeze tickled his far. Far away stars twinkled in an otherwise black sky, seeming distant and cold to his own warm, sandy world.

The buildings below him were lost in shadow. It was hard to tell where the desert ended and the sky began, so complete was the darkness.

He let out a long, slow breath. It was time to pinpoint the source of his worry. What had awakened him? Perhaps the spirits were walking tonight. He could only hope the answer was so simple.

Barely had the thought finished in his mind when he heard a soft sniffle. He glanced towards the sound, somewhere in the corner of the balcony. No one was there. Atem, however, knew better than to leave it at that. Spirits walked the nights of his kingdom of Kemet, and they should not be ignored. Even kindly spirits could become angered.

He knelt, gathering the essence of the night around him. He called silently on Ra, to lighten his eyes, and Horus, to allow him to see what others overlooked. Very slowly, the magic began to work. Slowly, the outlines of the wandering spirit began to appear.

She was a tiny thing, no older than ten, with strangely fair skin and long, glistening white hair. Her face was buried between her knees, and her shoulders shook. Atem cleared his throat softly. The girl had not realized he was there. She must have died recently, then.

"Little one," he said.

Her face jerked upwards. Brown eyes glittered in the moonlight, wide and fearful like an animal. When they saw him, she quieted inexplicably.

"Hello," she said shyly, hunching in on herself.

"Hello," he greeted back. "What is your name, little one?"

She swallowed.

"Amane," she said. "I'm Amane Bakura."

The name sounded foreign to Atem's ears. Where had she come from? Certainly not his own country.

"Where did you come from?" he said. "Why are you here?"

She ducked her head.

"I'm lost," she said. "I...I'm not supposed to be here, but I came anyway. Cause...cause I don't want to sink..."

Atem blinked.

"Sink?"

A slow shudder shook the girl's frame. Atem found his heart jump. What had happened to this spirit? Had she failed the tests of the Duat, and now pursued by its demons?

"I wasn't...supposed to die, I think," she said into her knees, not looking at him. "But he...he killed me...and tried to swallow me up...but I ran away into his memories, to here, so that I wouldn't sink."

She looked up, eyes glistening with tears.

"Don't let him swallow me," she said, throat tight. "Please? Don't let me sink."

She trembled so badly that Atem was surprised she hadn't fallen apart already. It was against all the rules of his people, he knew, but he could not help himself. He came forward and pulled the tiny girl against him. She stiffened, and then sank against his chest, sighing.

"It's all right," he said. "You will be fine."

"He's going to chase me," she whispered. "He wants me to sink."

"I won't let you sink," Atem said. "I promise."

He did not know who this _he_ was. He didn't know who chased the girl. But he intended to find out.

"Amane," he said, testing out the strange name. "May I look at your memories?"

"Will it hurt?" she asked.

"No."

"Then go ahead."

Atem nodded slightly, though she couldn't look at him to see the motion. He reached with his mind for the Puzzle, sifting through its pieces to the magic he was looking for. Then he let it slide through him, settle like dust upon Amane.

And then for a single, blinding moment, he was assaulted by a rush of colors and motion.

He stood in the heat of Kemet, at a bazaar where – the Millennium Ring was sitting for sale? He was holding it, begging someone – his father, or rather her father? – to buy it for Ryo, because it was perfect for him – then he was in some form of metal, horseless chariot and he could feel the edge of dark magic all around him. The illusion of some creature leapt in front of the chariot, but Amane and the woman beside her thought it was real, and the chariot swerved from the road and crashed. Then he was laying sideways, staring at a terrified, white haired boy that begged him – or Amane – to keep talking, to keep his eyes open, to do anything but die –

And finally, the spirit was detaching from the body, whirling towards the afterlife – but dark, sticky magic leapt up and dragged at Amane, pulling her down, trying to drown her in darkness. She and Atem were one being for a single moment, as they fought and screamed against the inky blackness, and a terrible, all-too familiar face laughed as she was dragged down, down, down, to be kept just in case _he_ needed something extra to use against...someone...

Atem tore free of the vision, gasping. Amane trembled against his chest. Her tiny fingers dug into his tunic, and he doubted he could have made her let go even if she had wanted to. He held the girl close to him, dumbfounded.

That had been Bakura. Bakura had killed her, and tried to keep her spirit to use again...someone. But yet...that hadn't happened yet. How had she gotten here? Through Bakura himself, Atem realized. The spirit was not attached to a particular time and plane.

He looked down at the tiny girl in his arms. She must have been one of great power, or at least of some potential to be able to use Bakura's own magic and memories to pull herself through to a place where he could not reach her.

The blackness still felt to be all around him, trying to trap him. He felt uneasy, as though he had seen things he should not have seen. Sinking, indeed.

Amane shifted.

"Is it over? Did you see anything?" she asked.

"Yes," he breathed.

They sat silently for a long time.

"Will he come to get me again?"

"No, I don't think so...not here, anyway. But you, little one, are far from where you must be. If you stay here too long, you will become a _ba_ forever, and never attain the afterlife."

She shuddered. He could tell he didn't really understand, but she caught the feeling of his words.

"I want to go to mommy," she whispered.

Atem nodded.

"I can send you there," he said. "I can...guide the way, at least, to where you must go."

Amane pushed back, so that she could look at him with her large, brown eyes.

"I've seen a lot of people, and been a lot of places already," she said. "I don't want to travel while I'm dead anymore."

Atem nodded.

"I'll send you on your way, then."

She looked terribly teary-eyed, but she rubbed them away. She nodded, trying to look strong.

He touched his palm to her forehead, gently.

"Wait," she said. "What's your name?"

He smiled gently at her.

"I am Atem."

She nodded.

"Thank you...Atemu..." she said, adding a strange extra vowel to the word. He nodded in response, and started to speak the words that would allow her to find her way.

"_Re-pat, nekh to khewew iret,"_ he whispered. "_Sedjet, mesneh. Khakh tjaw, a'nen."_

The words had barely finished leaving him, before Amane faded from sight. A tiny light was left before, no bigger than his pinky nail, but it, too, fizzled from sight.

He sat beneath the stars for a long, long time.

_Damn you, Bakura,_ he said. _So, you will take lives even beyond my time, will you? Well, then I promise to be there, whenever you appear. I will protect everyone. For as long as I must._

A/N: And I finally got to use some more Egyptian words that I've been hoarding for a while. :3 I love Amane, I wish she had shown up in the actual series. It would have been a cool plot point. Part of me wonders, though: if she only appeared as a mention in a letter Ryo was writing, how on earth did anyone ever figure out who she was and what her story was? :/ Coming up is Silvershipping (Sugoroku x Pegasus).


	107. Silentshipping

_Silentshipping (Seto x Shizuka)_

She didn't want to admit it, but she had always been scared of him.

Shizuka Kawai had wanted her brother to be the first thing she saw when she took off her bandages. She couldn't imagine anything more beautiful than seeing the face of someone she loved as her first sight in a long time.

But it didn't quite happen that way.

Instead, she found herself staring bleary eyed through stinging salt water, dragging the blurred form of her brother to the surface – and when she broke the surface of the water into the clean, cool air, it was not her brother's face that she saw – but the sharp, harsh blue eyes under a mop of brown hair that cut through her like knives.

That was the memory of Seto Kaiba that she had, and that was why she, for the most part, did everything in her power to avoid him on the blimp. She never, ever wanted to be faced with those eyes again.

It was a futile wish. It didn't take long for her to find herself face to face with the tall, icy-eyed Seto Kaiba once again. He glanced down at her with those harsh eyes, either disinterested or not remembering who she was, she wasn't sure which.

"Um, good evening," she said, ducking her head as she tried to walk past.

He didn't say anything, and his silence was somewhat unnerving. He still stood in the center of the hallway, and it was difficult to get past. Shizuka had no choice but to stand there and wait for him to move.

After too long of a moment, Kaiba spoke,

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" he said.

"What?"

"You. You keep looking at me like a deer in the headlights. Is there something wrong?"

"W-what? Oh, no, of course not...nothing's wrong..."

"Then stop looking at me like that," he cut her off.

Shizuka's hands tightened on the hem of her shirt.

"Well, then...you stop looking at me like I'm not allowed to breathe your air!" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What was that?"

"I said..." Shizuka said.

She took a deep breath.

"Stop looking at me like I'm not allowed to breathe your air!"

It came out a lot louder and harsher than she had intended, and she clapped her hands over her mouth.

"Never mind," she said, trying to skirt past him.

He stood still for a moment, but she didn't dare look at his eyes. Then he shifted slightly to the side, enough for her to slip past, and she half-ran down the hallway.

Seto Kaiba stalked down the hallways of the blimp, seething. What had just happened? One duel into the semi-finals, and there was a boy unconscious already. This was ridiculous. His only comfort was that this wasn't being broadcasted anywhere. Why was it that wherever Yugi played a card game, someone ended up dead or unconscious –

He paused, and suddenly realized that _she_ was in the hallway. That short, slender, red-headed girl, staring at him with wide, doe-like brown eyes like she was a deer trapped in the headlights. Dammit, why was she here right now?

They stood staring at each other for a long, silent moment. Kaiba wasn't quite sure what to say. She kept staring at him like he was about to rip her throat out, or something. Who was she again? Jonouchi's sister, Shizuka, right? He could sort of see the resemblance, although she seemed a lot quieter than Jonouchi. That was a relief. But why did she keep looking at him like that? It was kind of unnerving.

He couldn't take it anymore.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" he said.

"What?" she said, looking just about scared out of her mind that he had talked to her.

"You. You keep looking at me like a deer in the headlights. Is there something wrong?"

"W-what? Oh, no, of course not...nothing's wrong..."

"Then stop looking at me like that," he cut her off. He felt suddenly really irritated.

Her hands tightened on the hem of her shirt.

"Well, then...you...stop …. breathe your air!" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Seto frowned.

"What was that?"

"I said..." Shizuka said.

She took a deep breath.

"Stop looking at me like I'm not allowed to breathe your air!"

It came out a lot louder and harsher than Seto had expected, and he stared, shocked, at her as she clapped her hands over her mouth. Where on earth had _that_ come from? Who knew she had had that in her?

"Never mind," she said, trying to skirt past him.

He hesitated just a minute longer. Had he really been looking at her like that? Then he realized she was trying to get past, and he shifted enough to let her through. She scurried away down the hallway, and he glanced in her direction.

"Huh," he said softly.

And although he had plenty of other things on his mind at that point, it was that red-headed little sister of Jonouchi that weighed on his thoughts for the rest of the walk down the hallway.

A/N: They're...so cute...But it's hard to keep them in character and put them in a romantic situation. I can definitely see something growing here, but it's gonna take a while. :) Next is Sightshipping (Pegasus x Ishizu).


	108. Sightshipping

_Sightshipping (Pegasus x Ishizu)_

They never should have left those cave walls...the Egyptian Gods, he meant. He could feel it, the power of those tiny slips of paper inside a steel suitcase buzzing up through the metal and into his arm and mind. What had he been thinking? He couldn't have controlled this power if he tried!

Pegasus shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He set the suitcase down on the hotel bed and started to pace. He had always known this would be a bad idea. Even as he put paint to the canvas once more, something he had thought he would never do again after Cyndia, he had realized that there was a magic here beyond his imagining.

He glanced ruefully at the innocent steel suitcase on the bed. As soon as the cards had been printed, he had felt them buzz with life. The first time he had used it in a practice duel against a computer, he had blacked out. Shadi had showed him the doom he had allowed to be sent into the world. Of course, he had tried to destroy them first. They were only slips of paper, after all.

Or so he had thought until he tried to rip one in half, and found himself convulsing on the floor with a terrible static in his head.

No, they could not be destroyed. They refused to be, more like. So they had to be hidden, somewhere even he wouldn't know. He checked his watch. The head of the Egyptian Board of Antiquities would be here any minute. His sources had told him the curator knew about magic, and his contact with the person in question had left him believing that the God Cards would be safe in those hands. He only had to wait for him to get here...

A soft knock caught his attention. He glanced over towards the door. It could be the curator...but it could also be someone else. It wouldn't be the first attack he'd suffered on this trip. He let his Millennium Eye pierce through the wood, scanning the person outside...

Instantly, his magic thrust back to him. He stumbled backwards, shocked. The only meaning of that could be...

The door opened softly. Although Pegasus knew the shock was evident on his face, he couldn't quite stop it.

She was a young woman, no more than twenty, perhaps, with the softly bronzed skin of an Egyptian native. Her velvet black hair lay quietly across her back and down her shoulders. Calm brown eyes found Pegasus' only visible eye, and there were depths there that even he could not fathom. Her soft, unassuming beauty was sharply contrasted by the plain, canvas white dress she wore. More importantly, however, something gold gleamed around her neck...

"That's the Millennium Necklace, is it not?" Pegasus said.

She nodded.

"And you have the Millennium Eye," she said, speaking English with the hint of an accent. "I apologize for blocking your magic so roughly. I was...surprised. I did not know you had an Item."

Pegasus nodded slowly.

"You are the head of the Egyptian Board of Antiquities?" he said.

"I am," she said.

He nodded again.

"I'm Pegasus J. Crawford."

He extended his hand. She took it, and shook it limply in the custom of Egypt. She smiled quietly at him, her brown eyes still fixed on his in that unnerving manner of the Egyptians. So much eye contact here...it was enough to make Pegasus' head spin. Although, maybe his spinning head at this moment was due to something else...

"I am Ishizu Ishtar. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise," Pegasus said.

She was certainly not what he had been expecting. Not only was she female, a fact he had never guessed at from their written correspondence, but she held a Millennium Item. He wasn't sure of the powers of the Millennium Necklace, but she was obviously skilled enough with the magic to deflect his mind scan. That was something.

Light filtered through the blinds he had drawn over the windows, sending eerie shadows across her softly sculpted face. For just the briefest moment, he thought he was looking at Cyndia. He brushed the thoughts aside quickly

"So," he said, turning to the hotel bed where the suitcase lay. "I am under the impression that you can help me."

"I believe so," she said.

The briefest hint of apprehension flashed across her eyes.

"This is...truly the power of the gods, is it not?" she said.

"Unfortunately," Pegasus said. He unfastened the suitcase and revealed the three god cards. Ishizu breathed out.

"Oh," she said. "It is. How did you capture the magic so easily...?"

"Through misguided confidence in myself," Pegasus said ruefully. "I've tried to destroy them already."

She was already nodding.

"Yes, that would be impossible...to destroy them, I mean," she said.

Frowning, she reached forward to brush a finger across one of the cards. In doing so, she leaned past him, her rounded face coming just a little too close. He shifted away from her, angry at himself. Just because Cyndia was gone did not mean he could allow himself to be attracted. Not that he was attracted, no, of course not...

Ishizu nodded quietly.

"Yes," she said. "I can find places to hide these...are you certain, though?"

"What?" he said, surprised out of his own thoughts.

Her brown eyes made contact with his.

"Are you certain that you trust me to take care of them? Are you not able to hide them yourself?"

His eyes wandered down to the cards. It was true, he had money to spare for security on these. He had the land and connections too.

But...

He shook his head firmly.

"I can't keep them," he said. "Who knows...what might happen if I do."

Her eyes never left his for a second. Once a moment had passed, she nodded.

"Very well," she said. "Mr. Crawford, I admire your self-reflection. It is not easy to do away with power."

He simply looked away, not caring if it was rude. He couldn't bring himself to look at her anymore. Instead, he busied himself with closing the suitcase, and then handing it to her. Her fingers brushed his as she took the handle.

"Thank you," he said, still not meeting her eyes.

She bowed her head slightly, and without another word, she left. It was a long time after that before Pegasus moved again.

A/N: I can actually see this couple happening. I'm not always a big fan of Pegasus in relationships, but this could work out. Next is Sideshipping (Anzu x Shizuka).


	109. Sideshipping

_Sideshipping (Anzu x Shizuka)_

Shizuka Kawai was used to sitting alone. Or at the very least, she was used to feeling alone even among others. She would sit at lunch, surrounded by people, and listen to them talk from the sidelines. Sometimes they'd ask her something, and she'd give them an answer, and then they'd continue to talk to other people. She wasn't too upset by that. It was, after all, her own fault for not speaking up and joining the conversation.

Yet, for some reason, that changed when Anzu was around.

Ever since Shizuka had met her, she had always admired Anzu. She, too, often stood on the sidelines while others took on the battles, and yet that didn't seem to change her unfailing inner strength and courage. She had dreams, unlike Shizuka, and she knew what she wanted to do with her life. And whenever Anzu was around, Shizuka felt included. She felt like trying harder to participate in the conversation. It was like Anzu's cheerfulness rubbed off on people.

"Shizuka!" she said as soon as she saw the red-headed girl. Anzu waved widely to catch Shizuka's attention, and Shizuka waved shyly back. "Hey, Shizuka-chan! It's been so long!"

"Yeah, it has," Shizuka said. "I'm really happy to see you again."

Anzu smiled widely and gave Shizuka a giant, suffocating hug.

"It's such a shame that you can't be here all the time," she said. "I miss having you around."

"Really?" Shizuka said, blushing a little.

"Of course, silly," Anzu said with a laugh. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Shizuka nodded, feeling Anzu's smile melt through her and become a bright, warm ball of happiness in her heart. Anzu made her feel so welcome...like a big sister. No, more than that, though Shizuka couldn't really put a name to it.

"Thanks, Anzu-chan," she said.

"For what?" Anzu said, looking a little surprised.

Shizuka just smiled.

A/N: So cute! :D Yu-Gi-Oh needs more girls, I think. Next up is Sickleshipping (Yami no Marik x Thief King Bakura). Should be...interesting...maybe that's too tame of a word, though...


	110. Sickleshipping

_Sickleshipping (Thief King Bakura x Yami no Marik)_

Bakura tossed his knife lazily from hand to hand. The light played across the silvery blade, sending glimmers dancing along the shadowy alley walls that he leaned against. The movement, however, was only a mask to the uneasiness within.

Something had caught his attention. Magic, of some sort. Dark magic. Akin to his own, actually. But it was not his magic, and it was not the magic of the god who gave him his power, nor the magic of any of the guardians. So...whose was it?

Gold glinted in the sunlight. A foot crunched ever so softly on the ground. Mistakes that alerted Bakura to the unknown's presence.

He turned smoothly and the knife whistled from his hand and through the air. Before the knife had even come close to its target, Bakura had taken in the sight. A tall, Egyptian man, with platinum blond hair shooting upwards in spikes, staring at him with flat violet eyes –

He batted the knife aside, and was already moving forward. Bakura had time to be impressed at this new entity's reflexes. Then he removed a second knife from the folds of his cloak. The figure cut forward with a long knife of his own, but he was wild and did not seem to know how to correctly use the weapon. Bakura slid like water from the blow and slashed. The figure also managed to dodge. He came at Bakura with a diagonal slash, but Bakura still flowed out of the way.

He dropped his dagger and instead drew his own long knife. The metal clanged against each other as the weapons met. With ease, Bakura twisted just so, and his opponent's knife clattered to the ground. He flicked his wrist out casually so that the tip of the knife would brush the figure's neck – but he wasn't there anymore. With a wild grin, the man ducked downwards out of the way. Bakura had not been expecting so much competition. His swear was cut off as the figure rammed him in the chest with his shoulder.

But Bakura recovered from the shock quickly. He slammed against the wall, but as his opponent scooped up his knife again, Bakura was already forming a spell in his hands. The dark magic flung outwards like a net of sticky web, covering the man and causing him to stumble backwards. Bakura gripped his knife again. He shot forward, the blade aimed for the man's heart.

But the hint of magic tightened around him as he did so, and a similar net fell over him, tripping him.

The pair, both trapped in each others' spells, came to a brief halt, breathing hard and staring at each other. Bakura caught his breath first.

"You're not bad," he said, slowly. Cautiously.

The man grinned at him. It was a crazed grin, his eyes sparking with bloodlust.

"You're not half-bad yourself," he said. "This is more fun than I thought it would be."

Bakura smiled darkly.

"Fun, you say? Is that what this is? You attacked me for fun?"

"What else?" the man said.

"And why me, might I ask?"

"You looked like you might fight back."

They stared at each other, crazed grin to calculating one, and perhaps, at the same time, both realized the same thing. Neither of them was going to outmatch the other.

But that wasn't going to stop them from trying.

A/N: ...yeah. That's about the extent of the relationship I see forming here. Unless I start getting all erotic yaoi on you guys, and I don't like eroticism. So, next is Siblingshipping (Mokuba x Shizuka).


	111. Siblingshipping

_Siblingshipping (Shizuka x Mokuba)_

_(Trying my hand at a first person fanfiction POV...)_

That girl came again today. Seto always complains to me when the doorbell rings and we see her face framed with red bangs on the security camera, waiting at the gate. _Why does she keep coming?_ He grumbles.

But I'm pretty sure he's just faking; I think he likes when she comes to visit. I understand my brother like that.

Shizuka-chan is nice, though. I'm glad she keeps coming, because my brother needs more company than just me all the time. He won't listen to me when I say that though; sometimes it sucks to be the younger brother. But when she comes along and says it, he'll grumble, but he won't tell her to be quiet. She's good for him, I think. She's always smiling so quietly and gently, like I imagine a mom would smile.

I think she knows that Seto doesn't eat or sleep enough. She's always bringing food for us. She makes really good pies. She's always telling him to rest. Sometimes, if Seto stays late at work, she'll even come in to KaibaCorp and tell him that he needs to go home and sleep. I tell him that all the time, but when she's the one saying it, he listens. He complains about it and tells her to stop acting like his mother, but he listens. He hasn't snapped as much as usual, and I think the employees are starting to relax too. That's a sure sign that Seto-nii is calming down. I'm really thankful to Shizuka for that.

But still...

She smiles a lot more at him than she does at me. But when she does smile at me, I feel so warm and happy inside. Whenever she brings food for Seto, she always makes sure I get some too. Once, when she found out it was my birthday, she even brought me a special strawberry tart. I don't know how she knew that my favorite flavor was strawberry. She doesn't mind playing Capsule Monsters with me either, even though she's not very good. She doesn't talk down to me. And she listens. She really listens, better even than Seto ever did.

But Seto still gets the softer, nicer smile. Seto still gets most of her half-glances and slight blushes.

I think...I might be...a little jealous...

A/N: I can so see this happening. But maybe that's just me being an irrepressible fangirl. :D Next up is Shroudshipping (Pharaoh Atem x Thief King Bakura x Priestess Isis).


	112. Shroudshipping

_Shroudshipping (Atem x Thief King Bakura x Priestess Isis)_

Atem's grief hung over him like a shroud: transparent, and not always visible, but always there. It had been two weeks since the death of his father, but he still felt the loss as keenly as though it were yesterday. But he was not allowed to let it show; he was the pharaoh now, after all. He must be a beacon of hope to his people. He must make them believe that he could defend and inspire them, even when he didn't believe in himself. So he placed the shroud of the pharaoh over his shroud of grief, only thinly masking the broken boy underneath.

"No, no, no, the weather conditions and bandit attacks are too much for the workers to handle. I'm calling off construction; the location was poorly chosen anyway."

"But Pharaoh, your father himself chose the location –"

"My father is dead, Akhenaden. And he never had the chance to see the place himself; I'm sure he would understand."

"The new temple to Ra is an extremely important project –"

"The foundations hadn't even been built yet. It is simple enough to choose an new location and move construction. I won't put the lives of my people at risk to put a few blocks of stone in place."

Atem broke off the conversation, noticing for the first time that Isis was standing outside the room. She caught his gaze for the briefest of moments, and nodded towards the hallway. Then she vanished in a flick of canvas-colored robes.

"Pharaoh, perhaps we –" Akhenaden began.

Atem felt bad for continuing to cut him off, but this was ridiculous. There were three temples to Ra in the kingdom already. He had no idea why they needed another one.

"I'm sorry," he said firmly. "Could you excuse me for a moment?" Translation: this conversation is over and I won't hear another word about it, understood?

Akhenaden clamped his mouth shut, nodded stiffly, and turned away.

Atem sighed quietly to himself. His uncle could be so stubborn about things. But he brushed the thoughts aside and stepped softly out into the hallway. Isis was waiting for him, the half-light of the far away windows cutting a striking figure against the dark.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Isis rarely came to speak with him. Despite being one of his seven guardians, she was often an unseen shadow behind him, except during special occasions. He understood her reasoning. She owned the Millennium Tauk, giving her the ability to glimpse the future. Being surrounded by people might interfere with her concentration or interrupt a vision. And despite her soft, elegant looks, she was a ferocious fighter. Anyone that tried to pick a fight with the pharaoh would come across her before they met any of the other guardians.

"No, not particularly," she said, in that lilting tone of hers. "But I caught something of the future, and I thought you would want to know about it."

She paused.

"Did I...interrupt?"

Atem shook his head, smiling slightly.

"Not at all. Akhenaden was being difficult again. You actually gave me a good excuse to leave the conversation."

She smiled quietly. It was the closest she had ever gotten to a laugh – he wondered, sometimes, if she was brighter and more open when he wasn't around, and she wasn't on duty.

"So, what news?" he asked.

She hesitated for a brief moment.

"I saw...a shroud of mist," she said. "I believe it to be a sign, rather than a true vision. Something is concealing itself from us...the Tauk is trying to warn of the dangers."

Atem frowned. Shrouds again...he had just been thinking about that earlier.

"And?" he prompted.

Isis might have spoken, but something caught her attention. She shifted ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly, but Atem recognized the motion.

Someone was here that shouldn't be.

Quietly, he reached for the Millennium Puzzle, as Isis slid fluidly to a spot between the Pharaoh and –

"Oh, how adorable. Is this a lover's meeting, perhaps? Oh, never mind, it's just you, Pharaoh, and your little pet cat."

The voice was all too familiar, and Atem stiffened as Bakura practically appeared out of thin air, smiling that mocking smile of his.

"Bakura," he said, speaking the word like a curse. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, this and that. Spying on the Pharaoh, scoping out the security...things like that."

He said it in such a bored tone that it made Atem's blood boil. Isis still remained between the two shadow magicians, watching Bakura carefully.

"What's that look for, little cat?" Bakura said, sneering. "Don't imagine that you can fight me alone. You can't."

"I don't pretend that I can," Isis said, smoothly. "But I thank you, for you cleared up the mystery of my vision to me."

"What? The mists mean that I am able to hide among you, in plain sight?" he jeered.

"No. They mean that you are simply..."

And with a sudden whirl, she knocked Atem back towards the wall and caught the edge of a knife in her cape. It tore a long rip down the side, but the blade clattered to the ground harmlessly.

"An illusion," Isis finished.

Atem's eyes flashed to the space where he had been before. Bakura stood only a few feet off, looking absolutely stunned.

"I have already alerted my fellows," she said to his frozen face. "The rest of the Guardians are coming. Do you think you can handle seven?"

She whirled again suddenly, this time whipping off her headdress and using the gold piece in the center to deflect another knife.

"Or rather, can your illusions handle seven magicians?"

Atem looking all around, trying to pinpoint the location of the real Bakura. Once he thought about it, he knew Isis was right. Bakura's aura was not emanating from these copies, although they appeared to be able to hold their form long enough to throw a knife. Isis had thought quickly; Atem shuddered to think what might have happened if she had not. But despite his search, he found Bakura's aura nowhere to be found.

"Isis, he's not even here," he said.

Isis nodded in agreement and deflect yet another weapon.

"This is quite the harmless attack," she said softly, as another illusion vanished. "Is it a distraction, Bakura, or were you truly unprepared?"

One more illusion appeared, a half-smile twitching across his lips. The sound of footsteps far away became evident, but he didn't even glance back.

"Neither," he said softly. "I was simply curious as to how strong my opponents are. One can never know too much."

He smiled again, a dark, twisted grimace.

"Although I did underestimate you...you are no cat, Isis. You are a cobra."

And the illusion vanished.

They were left alone, as the remaining shroud of magic lifted and disappeared.

A/N: Geez. This sucked. I'm really trying to do my best, but maybe it's not quite good enough. Well...whatever. I can redeem myself on the coming chapters...I hope. Next is Shrimpshipping (Haga x Ryuzaki).


	113. Shrimpshipping

_Shrimpshipping (Ryuzaki x Haga)_

Their first meeting was kind of an accident. Ryuzaki had gotten the directions mixed up because his map was upside down, and had arrived in the park instead of at the tournament building. Haga had taken advantage of being early for the tournament and had noticed and followed a rare species of beetle into the same location. Coincidence or fate, either one could be true, but it was for certain that both boys were so intent upon their task that they did not see the other until they ran into each other – literally.

"Ow!" they said, almost in unison. "Hey, why don't you watch where you're going?!"

Haga had Ryuzaki's map plastered to his face by the wind, and he brushed it off irritably. Ryuzaki had a beetle on his forehead.

"Augh!" he yelped, trying to swat it.

"Hey! Be careful!" Haga said, snatching the beetle from harm's way. "You'll hurt it!"

"Hurt it?! That thing attacked me!"

Haga huffed, and pushed his glasses higher on his face.

"It's not even a twentieth of your size, dimwit. It could hardly hurt you."

"It could be poisonous! And I'm not a dimwit!"

"Well, actually, it is poisonous. But the tiny doses it carries are nowhere near enough to hurt humans – barely enough to make it itch."

He looked worriedly into his palm to check on the beetle. It looked unharmed, and fazed by its brush with death in the slightest. It buzzed for a moment in Haga's hand, and then took off into the sky until it vanished from sight.

"Who are you, anyway?" Ryuzaki said. "You got a bug fetish or something?"

"It's not a fetish, it's an interest," Haga snapped. "Who do you think you are, shorty?"

Ryuzaki's face flushed.

"Hey, you're not much taller than I am! You can't say things like that! Who do you think you're talking to?"

"A brute who doesn't understand the finer points of life."

"Why you –"

"What's the matter? Was I right, or something?"

They might have gone to blows, which would have ended badly for both of them (mostly Haga, he wasn't really the tough type), when twin alarms beeped and synchronized heads looked down. Haga glanced at his watch, and Ryuzaki checked his phone.

"Oh, no, I'm going to be late!" they said at the same time. They glared at each other. "What could you possible be late for, shrimp?" they again said in unison.

"I happen to be going to a Duel Monster tournament!" Haga said.

"No way! A bug freak like you can't be any good at games!" Ryuzaki said.

"And there's no way a brute like you would understand the first thing about strategy!"

"I'll wipe the floor with you and your bug fetish!"

"That's if you can find your way to the tournament location first, Mr. Lost!"

"I know my way! ...Hey, stop following me!"

"We're going to the same place, dipwad! Do you think I _want_ to walk with someone as annoying as you?"

And so a beautiful friendship (cough cough hatred cough cough) was born.

"You're a moron!"

"And you're an imbecile!"

A/N: Yep, that's about as romantic as those two are going to get. They're quite amusing to write about, I have to say. Next is Shredshipping (Sugoroku x Kisara).


	114. Shredshipping

_Shredshipping (Sugoroku x Kisara)_

Tape might be able to hold the paper together, but it can't erase the places where it was shredded.

So Sugoroku Mutou thought as he wound a careful piece of the sticky stuff around his precious holographic Blue Eyes White Dragon. It was so sad, that a boy of such potential like Seto Kaiba could become so callous and unfeeling. The card may have been no more than a slip of paper to him, but even inanimate objects could take on the feelings of its owner, if a memory was attached to it. It was a shame Kaiba couldn't see that. A real shame.

Sugoroku studied his handiwork. The tape was clearly visible, but he had managed to match up the ripped pieces pretty well. It was still a bit upsetting, though. Arthur had given that card to him out of the deepest friendship, and here he was, not taking good care of that friendship. Hm.

He sighed. After sitting at the dusty table for another moment, he slapped his hands onto his knees and stood up with a crack in just about every bone in his body.

_Hmph, I really am getting old,_ he though dryly. After a moment's though, he took the semi-fixed card with him. He'd go back upstairs to the game shop and put it back in its box.

The half light from the thin basement window, set high in the wall, shimmered across the holographic front. Sugoroku stared at it. It was only a card, he knew. He shouldn't be so upset over it. But still, it had been shredded, and he couldn't help but feel that a part of him, a part of his friendship with Arthur had been shredded too.

The card gleamed. For a moment, he thought he caught the glimpse of a face reflected in the card. But it was only a trick of the light, he reasoned. He moved towards the stairs.

Then the card gleamed again. That was odd – he had moved it out of the light. It shouldn't still be reflecting anything. He looked at it again. Nothing seemed out of order. Except that it was still torn. He shook his head, resolving not to think about it anymore. Then the card caught the light for a final time, and he was positive that this time he _had_ seen a face in it: the soft, curved face of a young woman, with huge blue eyes and the most impossible metallic white-blue hair.

_"Anything broken can be fixed!"_

The voice was so quiet that he almost didn't hear it. He glanced behind him. No one was there. No one in front of him, either. Where had it come from? Were they talking to him? No, he didn't think so. Maybe he was just catching a glimpse of something else.

_"Do you really believe that?"_

_"Of course!"_

_"You're so naïve."_

_"Maybe, but look how much more hopeful and joyful I am than you."_

The moment seemed to fade, and Sugoroku felt a keen sense of disappointment. He was well aware of the supernatural – he had come across it often enough in his younger days as an archaeologist. He had hoped to catch a glimpse of more, though.

Then the card warmed in his hand. When he looked down again, he caught the barest glimpse of something small darting out of sight. He turned – there it was again. He turned once more. There it was, sitting on his work table. It was tiny, and glowed, like it wasn't really there. And perhaps it wasn't: after all, it was a dragon.

The little Blue Eyes White Dragon sat primly on the table, stretching out its wings. It even nibble at its foot to get an itch, looking very much like a cat.

"Who are you?" Sugoroku said.

The dragon glanced up, eyes shining with intelligence.

_Well, quite obviously, I am the dragon in your card. What, haven't you ever noticed me before?_

"No, I can't say that I have."

_Pft. Humans. They never look. And then they go around ripping things._

The last sentence was uttered with a venomous tone, so human-like that Sugoroku almost laughed. He felt that would probably be the wrong thing to do however.

"Well, why are you here now?"

The dragon considered this for a moment.

_Well, _she_ sent me, of course. I have to be here._

"She?"

The girl in the reflection, perhaps? Was that who sent her? But who was the girl in the reflection?

"Why? Why did she send you?"

_How should I know? I don't ask, she doesn't tell. We have a simple relationship. She told me to follow the card._

The dragon yawned, showing off its tiny white teeth.

_And it just so happens that I happen to like you. Better than the prick that has my three siblings, anyway._

Sugoroku was rather surprised at how well he was taking this. Well, here he was, having a conversation with a Blue Eyes White Dragon. Maybe the doctors were right, maybe it was time for him to go to a home.

But even as he thought this, the sharp, intense gaze of the dragon fixed on him.

"What?" he said.

_I was just thinking. She always felt a bit broken, like you. I attributed that to the loss of her family. You've lost someone too, huh?_

He was struck by an image of Ume, his long-dead wife, and her smile that never, ever lost its sparkle. He nodded silently, suddenly unable to speak. The dragon nodded smartly.

_Thought so. I guess that's why I'm here._

She stretched like a cat, and then took to the air. She landed gently on his shoulder, and he felt a definite heat and weight. Sugoroku stirred back to his senses.

"You're here because I'm broken?" he asked.

_Kisara always believed that everyone could be fixed._

"Even a shredded piece of paper?"

The dragon looked at him flatly.

_Just because my card is ripped, doesn't mean I can't keep going. Just because a heart is ripped, doesn't mean you can't use some spiritual form of that sticky stuff to put it back together._

Sugoroku chuckled. He liked this little dragon already.

"What's your name?"

The dragon yawned again.

_I suppose you can call me Ryuni. Kisara always called me that._

"Ryuni," Sugoroku said. He scratched the dragon's head affectionately, and Ryuni almost seemed to purr. "You know, I think I like this Kisara of yours."

_I think she would have liked you too._

A/N: Kisara hardly showed up. But I don't really care, I had fun with this. Any story I can sneak Ryuni into is a good story. :3 Next is Shotshipping (Ryo x Keith).


	115. Shotshipping

_Shotshipping (Ryo x Keith)_

Ryo couldn't remember why he was in the hallway in the middle of the night. Had his other self taken over again? He hated not knowing. All he wanted to do was rip the Millennium Ring off and throw it as far away as he could. But he knew that would only make things worse.

He leaned against the wall of the grand, but dark hallway. The plaster was unforgiving, and the dim images of paintings hanging on the walls seemed to stare at him from all directions. He shuddered slightly, sliding down to the floor. The cool marble made him feel a little better.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway. Ryo was suddenly alert, and somewhat hopeful. He didn't know which way to go to get back to the duelist's hallway – maybe whoever was coming could show him the way. Although...it was more likely that it was not someone friendly.

Just a split second too late, he scrambled to his feet and tried one of the intricately carved doors. But the owner of the footsteps had already come around the corner, and Ryo's heart sank to see that it was none other than the American man Keith Howard.

The man still wore his sunglasses, even in the dark hallway, and he seemed a bit nervous about something. It was in the way he sent furtive glances over his shoulder, and kept patting his front pocket as though making sure that something was still there. Ryo could only imagine that he had done something not quite honorable. Then the man's eyes seemed to find Ryo, although it was hard to tell through his sunglasses. He stopped and stared for a moment, then took off his sunglasses. His bloodshot blue eyes leered out into the hallway at the suddenly panicking Ryo.

"You a ghost or something?" the man said, squinting at him. "No, wait. You're one of Yugi's friends, ain'tcha? What are you doing out all by yourself?"

"I had to use the bathroom," Ryo said, trying to think quickly. "What about you?"

"None of your business, brat."

He kept walking as he talked, until he was standing in front of Ryo. He loomed over the young boy like a mountain, and Ryo took a step backwards.

He wasn't quick enough, however, and Keith's hand shot out to pull at his hair.

"What's with the hairdo, kid? Ya trying to be a girl or something? What a sissy," Keith said, yanking hard on Ryo's hair. "And don't tell me that's a natural color, either. What's with kids these days?"

Ryo pinched Keith's hand to make him let go. Keith yelped and jerked back. He glared at Ryo.

"Ya wanna pick a fight?" he said.

"Don't touch my hair," Ryo said. "I'm pretty sick of people doing that."

"Hah. When you're a boy with hair like that, ya should get used to it."

His voice dripped with unnecessary venom. But Ryo refused to give ground, clenching his fists. His long hair was for Amane's sake. He had promised her, before she died: he would do all the things she couldn't for her. He had wanted to become her – he had managed to grow away from that, but his hair was his last link with his sister. To him, pulling on it was an unpardonable offense.

"Damn, I hate prissy boys like you," Keith said. "You're just like Pegasus. All trussed up like a little girl, and yet all the chicks seemed to flock around you. You make me sick – maybe I oughta cut your hair off for ya."

As Ryo's bubbling anger increased, he could feel his other half stirring inside him. His anger faded in a rush, and he struggled to regain control.

"What's the matter?" Keith taunted, obviously misreading Ryo's sudden look of fear. "Scared of me? Ya should be, punk."

Ryo trembled slightly. Any moment now. His dark half might take control at any moment. Despicable as Keith was, he didn't want to wake up again and find blood on his hands again –

"You should go," Ryo said quietly.

Keith looked as if he had been about to jeer at him again, but something made him stop. Something about Ryo's tone, maybe.

"Why?" he said suspiciously.

"Because if you continue to provoke me...I may not be responsible for what happens."

The acid of his dark half was spreading slowly through him. He could feel a tingling in his fingers and toes, as he started to lose consciousness in favor of the dominant spirit within him...

Keith snorted.

"Whatever. I got better things to do than trade words with a princess like you anyway," he said.

He shoved past Ryo, nearly knocking him over. His footsteps echoed like shots being fired in the hallway, and Ryo flinched. But then Keith was gone into the darkness, and the acid in Ryo's system had receded.

He allowed himself to breathe.

That had been...much too close.

A/N: I think Keith hates Pegasus for more reasons that one...if he's as stereotypical an American I think he is, he probably hates guys with long hair cause they break gender roles. So he takes that out on Ryo. Darn Americans...giving the rest of us a bad name...I hope all you international readers don't think too badly of us, although I wouldn't blame you if you did. Anyways, next is Shoreshipping (Ryouta x Shizuka).


	116. Shoreshipping

_Shoreshipping (Shizuka x Ryouta)_

Shizuka loved the ocean...but only from afar. She loved walking along the shore, stepping among the tiny waves that washed up on the sands, but she would not go any farther. It reminded her too much of the day when she opened her eyes for the first time, and the first thing she saw was her brother being dragged down into the sea to his death in the cold, unfeeling, depthless ocean –

She shuddered, and shook the thoughts off. It was fine from here. The ocean was pretty and silvery from the shore. She liked it from here.

"Augh, watch out!"

Shizuka turned around – and a beach ball bounced off of her head.

"Aw, Ryouta, you hit her!"

"Hey dork, go apologize!"

"Gah, you guys, you were the ones that flung it at me so suddenly –"

Shizuka blinked a few times. It hadn't hurt; it was only a beach ball after all. But now a dark-haired, sun-tanned boy was running over to her, looking red with embarrassment. Shizuka glanced away to find the beach ball, and saw it floating on the waves. She picked it up and turned to face the sheepish looking boy.

"Oh, hey, sorry," he said, taking the ball from her. "My friends just threw it at me, and I just reacted. I didn't mean to aim it at you."

"Oh, no, it's fine," Shizuka said, smiling brightly. "It's only a beach ball, it didn't hurt."

"I'm still sorry," the boy said.

Shizuka laughed a little.

"My name is Shizuka Kawai. What's yours?"

"Me? Oh, I'm Ryouta Kajiki."

"It's nice to meet you."

"Y-yeah, nice to meet you too..."

Ryouta's face was slowly turning beet red.

"So, um...do you come to the beach often?"

Shizuka found a bit of color stealing into her cheeks. Ryouta was kind of handsome, now that she thought about it.

"Only occasionally," she said. "My brother used to take me a lot before our parents divorced."

"Oh," Ryouta said, as though not sure how to respond. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. Um...do you come a lot?"

"Yeah," Ryou said, and now he looked a bit more animated. "I come from a long line of fishermen, actually. Me and my friends were actually planning on going fishing."

"Oh, that sounds nice. Well, don't let me keep you then."

"Oh, right, yeah. Well, um..."

He started to turn. His face reddened a bit more, and then he turned abruptly to face Shizuka again.

"Um, would you like to come with? On the boat, I mean? To go fishing?"

Shizuka blinked. Now she was definitely blushing. Was he...asking her out? Oh, no, no, that couldn't be it, after all, his friends were along too.

"Um...I...well..." she stuttered.

And then she thought of the ocean. All around that boat, splashing against the sides, the depths going on beyond where she could think, where she was struggling once again to get to the surface with her heavy, waterlogged brother in tow –

"Is something wrong?" Ryouta asked, suddenly concerned.

Shizuka snapped out of it.

"Oh, I...I'm fine," she said quietly. "Um, thank you for the offer, but I'm...I'm a bit afraid of the ocean, you see...I don't think I could handle that."

She chanced a glance up at Ryouta, and found that he was staring at her as though dumbfounded.

"Afraid of the ocean? Really?"

"Sorry, I guess it's hard to understand," she said.

"Oh, no, I can definitely see where you're coming from. A lot of people are afraid of the ocean, even me, sometimes."

"Really? But you're a fisherman."

"Hey, the ocean's not nice sometimes. You've got to respect it."

When Shizuka looked up again, he was staring off into the wide expanse of the ocean.

"It looks calm now, but it can whip up into a frenzy in only a moment," he said. The wind picked up a little, causing Shizuka's bangs to blow into her face. "The depths and the spread go on for what seems like forever. Just about anything can be hiding in it."

"Right," Shizuka said, looking down. She was a little embarrassed about telling this guy about her fear, even though he seemed to understand.

"But yet...despite all the scary things about it, it's really amazing, isn't it? A thousand years ago, the ocean was here. A thousand years from now, it will probably still be here. If you dip your hand into it, you're instantly connected to every continent in the world. With a boat and a few navigational tools, you can go absolutely anywhere."

Shizuka looked up. A smile had grown on Ryouta's face, calm, deep, and peaceful. Shizuka blushed slightly. He seemed so deep in thought, in the idea he was speaking. She felt a little flutter in her heart at his words. He blinked, and then blushed slightly.

"Oh, sorry, I got carried away."

"Oh, no, it's okay," Shizuka said. "Actually..."

She clasped her hands in front of her, ducking her head.

"You kind of make me...not want to be afraid of the ocean..."

Their eyes met for a moment, both faces slightly red.

"Um, well, maybe not today, then," he said, as the voices of his friends sounded across the beach. "I'll...see you again, I hope."

"Yeah, me too," Shizuka said.

Ryouta turned and started to jog away. Shizuka ran a hand through her hair, but the wind blew it out of place once more. She turned and started back towards him. Then a voice caught her attention, and she glanced back.

Ryouta was waving to her from far away, and then he cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Kawai-san! I'm going to break your fear of the ocean, you hear!"

Shizuka blushed even harder, and smiled.

"You can't stay on the shore forever – I'm gonna show you what you're missing someday!"

Shizuka smiled even wider. She raised a hand to wave at him.

For just a moment, the ocean seemed happy...

A/N: I actually like Ryouta a surprising amount. I'm not sure I support this pairing, but it was cute while it lasted. Next is Shivershipping (Anzu x Shizuka x Mana).


	117. Shivershipping

_Shivershipping (Anzu x Shizuka x Mana)_

_(Yeah...I can't figure out a way to make this fit with the canon, so I'll just use a scene from a possible fanfiction I'm gonna work on, where Mana comes back to life at some point...)_

"Errgh! It's sooo cold!"

Mana shivered despite her three layers, two hats, earmuffs and gloves. Anzu laughed a little. She wore only a thin coat that she called a windbreaker, and Shizuka wasn't much better in only a sweater.

"Come on, Mana-chan, it's nearly fifty degrees outside," Anzu said. "It's beautiful out."

"Beautiful? It's totally freezing!" Mana moaned. "What kind of a spring is this?"

"Well, Mana-san is more used to the weather of Egypt," Shizuka said shyly. "So this probably does feel really cold to her."

"Thank you for understanding!"

Mana breathed on her gloved hands, trying to get warm. She hadn't wanted to go on this trip at all. But Anzu had insisted that since Mana was here in this time period, she should get out more and start to settle in, at least a little bit. Geez, that Anzu. They had only met a few days ago when she had found herself walking around in freezing cold Domino in nothing but her magician's dress with no idea where she was or how she had gotten there. Shizuka she had met later, when the red-head came to visit her brother Jonouchi.

Mana glanced across at Anzu, who was looking admiringly through the glass of a shop at some jewelry.

"Hey, Mana, look, doesn't that look kind of Egyptian?" Anzu said.

"Yeah, sure, maybe," Mana said, burrowing her face into her scarf. "Why don't we actually go inside the shops. Things are heated in there."

"But that's not the point of window shopping, Mana!" Anzu said with a laugh.

"I don't even know what that is!"

Mana waved her arms around in frustration, but Anzu and Shizuka only giggled somewhat hysterically. After letting out a strangled groan, Mana buried her face back into her scarf and sulked. Anzu patted her on the shoulder.

"Okay, okay, you win, Mana-chan," she said, hiding a smile. "Why don't we introduce you to something else modern – like hot chocolate?"

"Hot choco-what? What's that?" Mana said, her curiosity peaked. "Is it warm?"

"Yes, it is!" Shizuka said cheerfully. "And really delicious! Good idea, Anzu-chan!"

With a grin, Anzu hooked her arm into Mana's, and Shizuka shyly did so on Mana's other side.

"You guys are so annoying," Mana said half-heartedly as they steered her through the cold.

"Love you too, Mana," Anzu said.

Shizuka giggled. And Mana just grinned.

A/N: Meh. This could've been cuter, but I'm losing energy. Oh, and hey, it's finally broken fifty degrees today! 8D I'm so psyched for spring! Next is Shinshipping (Possessed Jonouchi x Yami no Yugi). Geez...come on, people, possessed Jonouchi is not a separate character...


	118. Shinshipping

_Shinshipping (Possessed Jonouchi x Yugi)_

He was the first person I really made a connection with when I woke up for the first time. Besides Yugi, of course, but back then, I thought I _was_ Yugi. I was so confused by the fragments of half-remembered memories, nothing more than snippets of myself that were overwhelmed with the mass of Yugi's being, that I could not differentiate myself from Yugi. But he was different. Katsuya Jonouchi was different.

One of the first things I remember clearly when I woke up for the first time was feeling him shove a cold piece of metal into my palm – the last piece of the puzzle – which I then slid into place and finally, truly awoke. I remember that he was the reason that I emerged for the first time. Because Ushio had hurt him badly for standing up for me, or rather, Yugi, and in my confusion as to who I was, all I knew was that this boy was my friend, and I had to stand up for him now.

Even as I started to pull apart from Yugi's being, and started to understand that I was not the same person, Jonouchi was still there, a constant. I could always count on Jonouchi to act the same way in any given situation. I could count on him to have my back, all the time – during the fight with his old gang, during the yo-yo incident, in Monster World...Jonouchi's strong, unwavering spirit and sense of conviction never failed. Never.

Until...

I could hardly understand what my eyes – or rather, Yugi's eyes – were telling me. Those flat, sadistic eyes could not be Jonouchi's. That terrible, twisted grin could not belong to Jonouchi. The dark, senseless joy in inflicting violence could not be Jonouchi.

I wanted to hit him. To shake him. To shout at him. Anything, anything at all that would snap Jonouchi back to his normal, brash, reckless, stupidly loyal self. But I couldn't do anything. Yugi wouldn't let me. I knew that this was Yugi's battle. I knew Yugi had to do this.

But I wanted to bring Jonouchi back. I wanted to be there, awake and alert, when he opened his eyes again, and those confused brown eyes looked up at me and asked, "what the heck just happened?"

I knew it was Yugi's battle. But I also knew it was my battle, too. Because friends become a part of you, and despite not being Yugi, like I had thought before, I was friends with Jonouchi, too. And so he was a part of me, and I was a part of him – and when he was lost in darkness, so was I. Because I knew what that felt like. I knew what it was like to be overwhelmed by the massive presence of someone else until you weren't sure who you were anymore.

So, even for my own sake, I had to be with him when he opened his eyes and was himself again. Because I had taken that same journey through my own mind, and I wanted to know that I wasn't a fluke. That Jonouchi could wake up too.

A/N: Meh. Possessed Jonouchi is too annoying to write about. I hate people insisting that he's a character. Next is Shinkanshipping (Priest Akenaden x Priest Karim x Priest Mahad x Priest Set x Priest Shada x Priestess Isis). Geez, a sixsome? Almost as bad as Yuumeishipping...


	119. Shinkanshipping

_Shinkanshipping (Priest Akhenaden x Priest Karim x Priest Mahad x Priest Set x Priest Shada x Priestess Isis)_

It was a necessary relationship. It wasn't always an easy relationship, but its necessity forged bonds between the six of them. After all, they were all there for one reason, one motivation: they all wanted to protect the pharaoh. And when people share feelings as strong as that one, unbreakable friendships are quickly born.

Akhenaden had always been there first. He was the king's brother, after all. But everyone had been rather suspicious of where he had found the Millennium Items in the first place, and anyone who had gouged out his own eye to replace it with a magical artifact was someone to watch your step around. He was the first one to swear himself in as a Guardian – he started the whole idea of it, actually. The Millennium Items would always surround the pharaoh, and protect him and Kemet until the end of the ages, he had said. No one knew why he had stepped down from his high position as the pharaoh's brother to become subservient to his nephew. But there was always an air of sadness around the old man. Perhaps some mistake in his past hung over him, and he wanted to atone by protecting his young nephew. No one could ever be sure.

No one else was brave enough to take the other Items after the first few Guardians started to pass away. As the old pharaoh started to grow weak, and the Millennium Pendant passed down to his young son, Atem, Akhenaden started to become uneasy. The Millennium Items had to be passed down, but no one was willing to attempt the rumored deadly test that went along with it.

Karim came next. No one was quite sure where he came from, actually. He was a strange, quiet man, with no family relations still living but for a young sister, and no status. He probably had nowhere else to go when he walked into the chambers of the palace and announced his intent to become a Guardian. His motivation came from a chance encounter with the then ten-year-old Atem. Karim's sister had been dying, and Atem had given Karim one of his earrings. It had been enough to pay for the medicine to save Karim's sister, and Karim was keen to repay the favor. Akhenaden might have turned him away a long time ago due to his low status, but he was getting desperate. Everyone was surprised when Karim easily won over the Millennium Scales. His sense of justice was unwavering. Despite his lack of high blood, he and Akhenaden started to grow used to each other.

Then there was Mahad. No one had expected the extremely talented apprentice of the Court Magician to attempt the tests. After all, he already had enough magic to spare without the Items, and he was already devoted to protecting the pharaoh since he was young and had saved the pharaoh from a snake bite. But Mahad was devoted to his friend and charge Atem, and wanted to grow strong enough to always be able to protect him. The Millennium Ring accepted him without question. His magic was strong enough for that.

Shada came after Mahad. He had trained in the palace in the ways of a scribe, destined to become the head scribe of the palace affairs. During his time in training, he too, had met with the future pharaoh's strength and kindness. He had broken his stylus, the last one he had, and he feared a beating from his master. It had happened before. But the young Atem had passed by as the stylus broke, and he had run back to his own room, taken his own stylus, and come back to present it to Shada. After Shada had become the head scribe, he took on the challenge of the Millennium Items. This future pharaoh would be a strong and kind leader, he felt, and he wanted to make sure that he would be there to rule. The Key accepted his sharp mind and his ability to read others.

Isis appeared next. She was even more mysterious than Karim, a quiet, unassuming figure with a mind so strong and a heart so passionate that she found it difficult to fit in with other women of her time. She had a talent for the magic, and a past known to no one when she came before the pharaoh to become a Guardian. Where did her motivation come from? Isis never told. But there was always a gentleness in the way she talked to the young Atem, and everyone knew that she, too, had seen his kindness. A few whispered that she was the goddess Isis in disguise, who was pleased with the power and nobility of Atem and wished to come down and protect him. Of course, this was just a tale, for Isis was as human as everyone else. But it was uncanny to be around a woman who could see the future with the Millennium Tauk, and so the rumors continued.

Set was the last one. Also from a low status, born and raised in a small town that had been ravaged by bandits, Set could not really explain to anyone why he was so committed to protecting the pharaoh, even though it was obvious that of all of them, he was the most devoted to the path he had chosen. There was just something in his heart, he knew, something that was important. Something that made protecting Atem the most important thing in the world. That was the path he had chosen, and he would never deviate from it. He was too stubborn. His youth was something of a barrier in most people's eyes, and most worried that he would fail the tests of the final Millennium Item, said to be the most deadly and dark of them all. But the Millennium Rod read something there that even Set could not put a name to, and it accepted him with ease.

They were all so different. They came from different places, different families, different times in their lives. But they shared a single thought and motivation. They believed in the pharaoh and his kindness, and his strength. He would rule well. They all knew it.

So they would be there for him until the end.

A/N: Hm. I could have done better with this. I didn't know how to put them all into a scene together and devote enough time to each of them equally, so I just went and did some omniscient storytelling thing, like someone from ancient Egypt was telling their kids about the guardians. Next is Shimmershipping (Mokuba x Otogi).


	120. Shimmershipping

_Shimmershipping (Otogi x Mokuba)_

The air shimmered with heat, and Mokuba was wishing for probably the hundredth time today that Seto had not made him leave the nice air-conditioned Kaiba Corp building.

_"You have a day off of school, and you're only eleven," _he had said. _"Go out and do something for once."_

Mokuba scowled at the heat. Sure he was only a middle schooler, but he was also Kaiba Corp's vice president. He had to help Seto run the company, even if he didn't always understand everything yet. He wasn't a normal middle schooler. He didn't have any place to go on a day like today. And he wasn't too good at making friends his own age, either, so it wasn't like he could call someone up to see what they were doing.

He sat on a bench in the shade of a tree, wondering at how it could possibly be so hot this early in the spring. He waved his hand at himself, but it did no good. Finally, he slipped off the bench and marched over to the row of shops on the other side of the street. At least they would be air-conditioned, even if he didn't feel like shopping.

He wandered into the first store he came across, a tall, modern building that read Otogi Game Enterprises on the front.

_What a pretentious name_, Mokuba thought as he stepped inside.

The blast of cool air from the building was beautiful relief, and he stood still to enjoy it for a moment.

"Welcome to Otogi Game Enterprises," said a voice. "Can I help you find anything?"

Mokuba looked around for the owner of the voice. It was a tall, lanky boy standing at the register, with long, heavily style black hair in a ponytail, eyes so bright green that he had to be wearing contacts, and very thick eyeliner. There was a name tag clipped haphazardly to his hipster type clothing that read: _Ryuji_ _Otogi._

"Uh, well," Mokuba started. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to look at anything in particular. Then he noticed the Capsule Monsters set sitting on the desk in front of the boy. All the monsters had been revealed, and it looked like a few moves had been made already. He wandered over to check it out.

"You like Capsule Monsters?" Otogi asked.

"Yeah," Mokuba said. "Were you playing with someone?"

"Yeah, my coworker. He just left for a lunch break, though."

Mokuba studied the board, noting the monsters present, their levels, abilities, and positions, and the board type.

"He's beating you," Mokuba observed.

Otogi grimaced.

"No need to rub it in my face, kid."

Mokuba stared at the board for a little bit longer. Then he reached over and moved one of Otogi's pieces forward.

"There," he said. "Now you're winning."

"Huh?"

Otogi stared at the board for a minute.

"That's a level one monster going against a level 4," he said. "How's that gonna help?"

"Your Diggel has the dig ability, and the Roach Roaster has a flame breath ability," Mokuba said. "When the Roach Roaster uses the fire attack, the Diggel submerges and the attack misses. But since the attack can go up to four spaces away, the flame will hit your opponent's monster, the Bomber, instead. And since the Bomber explodes when it's attacked, it'll take out itself, the Roach Roaster, and also the Ninja Squid over here. Then your Diggel comes back up, he's down three monsters, and you've taken no losses."

Otogi stared at the board again, and then he stared at Mokuba.

"Whoa," he said, grinning. "What's your name again, kid?"

"Mokuba Kaiba," Mokuba said.

"You're really good. Have you ever played Dungeon Dice Monsters before?"

"No, but I've heard of it."

"Wanna play me?"

"Sure."

A/N: I thought this was a fun one. Games are an easy way to get people together in this fandom. And I totally made up all of the Capsule Monsters in this; that was fun. :) Next is Shieldshipping (Jonouchi x Shizuka x Seto).


	121. Shieldshipping

_Shieldshipping (Jonouchi x Shizuka x Seto)_

Shizuka had made quite a few mistakes in her life, but none so big as the ones she made today. Her first mistake was to take Jonouchi with her when she went shopping for groceries, as he continually tried to convince her to buy junk food. Her next mistake was to stop by a clothing store on the way home to look at a dress she had seen the other day and see if it was still on sale, and then having to leave after Jonouchi made a scene about the prices in the store. Her last (hopefully) mistake of the day – and the worst one – was to talk to Seto Kaiba while her brother was in the bathroom.

She had seen the tall brunette from across the road, glancing back and forth at the traffic before he started to cross with that sure, clipped stride of his.

"Kaiba-kun!" she called, waving to him.

He paused, glanced up with his blue eyes, and nodded at her. She had thought that would be the end of it. Sure, she had started keeping contact with him more since Battle City, but that didn't mean much. But then he had walked over to her.

"O-oh, good morning, Kaiba-kun," she stammered.

"Morning," Kaiba said.

"U-um, what brings you out to Tokyo? I thought your company was in Domino."

"It is, but the Schroeder company is in Tokyo. We're trying to come to some kind of agreement before we run each other out of business," Kaiba said with that familiar sardonic tone. "I came for a meeting with von Schroeder."

"Oh...that sounds...interesting," Shizuka said.

Kaiba half-smiled.

"You're not very good at lying. It was about as boring and productive as watching paint dry."

Shizuka blushed a bit. The wind blew, and some dust blew up from the street. Shizuka coughed as it blew into her eyes, and started to blink. Her eyes started watering.

Kaiba seemed about to say something else, but then a loud '_hey!' _caught their attention. Jonouchi stalked over from the shop behind them. He stepped between his sister and his rival like a shield, shooting daggers at Seto.

"What do you think you're doing, picking on my sister?" he said.

"Katsuya...it's okay, he wasn't –" Shizuka mumbled behind him.

"Shush, Shizuka, just let me handle this."

Seto Kaiba matched Jonouchi's stare, icy harshness against flaming daggers.

"I wasn't doing anything to you sister, Jonouchi," Seto said. "Unless talking to someone is suddenly considered harrassment."

"Well you don't have to act so high and mighty about it!" Jonouchi shouted. "From what I was seeing, you were making Shizuka cry!"

"G-guys, please don't fight in the middle of street...please don't...no one was making fun of me..."

"She got some dirt in her eyes."

"Likely story!"

"Well, why don't you ask her, then? Shizuka doesn't tell lies."

"And how the hell would you know that, Kaiba?"

"Because I see her everyone and then, and it doesn't take a genius to understand Shizuka."

Shizuka blushed at that comment. Was he calling her shallow? Or was he just being his normal bluntly obvious self?

"I oughta smack you a good one!"

"Oh, please do. Give me a reason."

Shizuka tugged desperately at her brother's sleeve, but he shrugged her off. His face was getting red faster than she could say "tomato."

"You wouldn't know the first thing about fighting out on the street, ya pansy rich boy!"

"And you probably wouldn't know the first thing about self-defense, which I am well-trained in. Why don't you scurry away with your tail between your legs before you make a fool of yourself."

"Why you –"

Shizuka shrunk in on herself, wishing she could just disappear. People were starting to stare. How could she have been so stupid as to try and talk to Seto while she knew her brother was nearby? Why couldn't they just get along? And why couldn't they just listen to _her_ for once?

She sighed, hugging herself against the chilly spring breeze. Then she settled down to watch the two of them continue their fight, hoping that they wouldn't get into a fist fight in the middle of the street...

A/N: These threesomes involving Shizuka are starting to get repetitive...I probably could have come up with something better, but I have a whole bunch more to write tonight if I want to stay on schedule. Next is Shameshipping (Rishid x Ishizu x Marik).


	122. Shameshipping

_Shameshipping (Rishid x Ishizu x Marik)_

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is."

"It's not."

"Then whose fault is it?"

Hesitation.

"...it's all of us. All of us have to share the blame...and the shame that goes with it."

Marik didn't believe his sister. How could Ishizu and Rishid have had anything to do with what happened? No, it was his fault for begging Ishizu to let him go to the surface, his fault for letting the pharaoh control him, and his fault that father was now dead.

"There's no way," Marik said. "It's me. And the stupid...the_ damn_ pharaoh."

"Marik," Ishizu pleaded. "Don't swear. And it's not your fault."

Rishid put a hand on Marik's shoulder, gentle as always, but Marik stiffened at the touch and shoved his hand aside.

"Marik..."

Ishizu took Marik's hands in her own, her liquid brown eyes thick with tears as she looked up at him.

"Please. Don't take this burden by yourself. Let us work through this blame together."

Marik met his sister's eyes, feeling his own tears bubble up in him.

"Marik, we are all at fault," Rishid said, surprising Ishizu and Marik both. His soft, unassuming voice could have been the stone walls themselves speaking. "I should not have agreed to help disguise your going...Ishizu should not have taken you...you should not have gone. But...it's over now...it's been done...there's no point in trying to place the blame..."

The tall boy shifted, wincing at the pain in his back. Marik met his sister's eyes, and Rishid's eyes, and the the faraway single golden eye of the Millennium Rod, gleaming in its case far away. Terrible half memories of what had been done flashed through his mind, and sobs welled up, unreleased, in his chest, until he thought he might explode.

"We have to stay together," Ishizu pleaded. "We can't blame ourselves, or anyone –"

"No!" Marik screamed, jumping to his feet. "You don't understand! You and Rishid – you don't understand! This is my fault! My shame! Mine, and mine alone, and neither of you will ever understand it, and IT'S ALL THE PHARAOH'S DAMN FAULT!"

He fled from the chambers, running away from the cries of Ishizu and soft pleas of Rishid. He ran until he could run no farther, and he was swallowed up on all sides by shadows. Then he collapsed to the ground and sobbed, letting his tears echo against the catacomb walls.

It was the pharaoh's fault. Not Ishizu's. Not Rishid's. And not his.

It was all the pharaoh's fault.

A/N: Poor Marik. :( I think people tend to write Marik off as a pointless, annoying, or badly written character (probably because of the Abridged Series, though I love it to death), and so readers fail to see the depth that the characters of Yu-Gi-Oh are capable of. I love the Tombkeepers characters. There's so much emotion to work with that wasn't addressed in the manga or anime. Shakeshipping (Takaido x Kotsuzaka) is next.


	123. Shakeshipping

_Shakeshipping (Takaido x Kotsuzaka)_

_(Yeah, so Kotsuzaka is Bonz/Zombie Boy, and I have no idea which one of Kotsuzaka's friends Takaido is, because I consider those two characters interchangeable and useful only as background characters. :/ )_

Kotsuzaka loved ghosts. The idea of them was just so cool. He loved to find as many haunted sites as possible, travel to them, and look for signs of paranormal activity. But he was often disappointed, as many turned out to be hoaxes, and few ever showed any real ghost activity.

Takaido hated ghosts. They scared the living daylights out of him. Just the thought of them made him shake out of his boots. But he did like card games, and he thought maybe he could distract his friend away from dragging him on paranormal ghost hunts by teaching him to play Duel Monsters. And once he found some ghost cards, he really had Kotsuzaka hooked. It didn't matter if Kotsuzaka soon became better than him at the game. At least now he was obsessed with something else, and Takaido didn't have to go on ghost hunts anymore.

A/N: Yeeeah. I have no idea what Takaido's personality is. I barely even know what he looks like. Thus this super super short oneshot. :D Next is Shadowshipping (Yami no Yugi x Shizuka).


	124. Shadowshipping

_Shadowshipping (Shizuka x Yami no Yugi)_

Jonouchi once told her that there were two Yugis, that Yugi Mutou had a shadow version of himself. Shizuka hadn't really believed him. After all, her brother loved to tease her. There was no way there could be two of one person, unless, perhaps, they were twins, but they there were still different people, and they hopefully wouldn't both be called Yugi, because that would be a terrible choice on the part of the parents and –

She quickly brought her whirling thoughts to a halt, trying to still the flutter in her chest. Just a moment ago, she had been talking to Yugi about the upcoming finals of the Battle City tournament, asking him how he thought her brother would do. She really liked Yugi, and she was glad that her brother had become friends with him. The boy had really straightened her brother out.

But when Seto walked by and exchanged a few words with Yugi, just for a moment, she had caught the flicker of something else.

A glimpse of red eyes – eyes so deep and mysterious that they took her breath away. For a brief moment, she had seen Yugi's entire expression change, being a bit harsher and more angular. A look of easy confidence, a small smile that was at the same time dark and comforting as he spoke to Kaiba, his voice sounding more forceful and confident, even a bit deeper and smoother.

Yugi suddenly seemed to take up more space. It was like his back had straightened, his stance strengthened, and his demeanor started to crackle with a mysterious energy that filled Shizuka's heart with an indescribable emotion.

Yugi was looking at her now, confused, his eyes back to a normal purple, his quiet soul back to normal. Was something wrong?

Shizuka swallowed through a dry throat, and managed a smile.

No, she said. Everything was fine.

But she never forgot that barest glimpse of a different Yugi...the hint of a shadow...

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this one. I think Shizuka would be attracted to Yami no Yugi, in the same way that Anzu is attracted to him. It's the mystery and the confidence that he just exudes. That's one of the reasons why he's my one of my favorite characters. Next is Shadeshipping (Thief King Bakura x Amane).


	125. Shadeshipping

_Shadeshipping (Thief King Bakura x Amane)_

Bakura was well-acquainted with spirits. He was surrounded by them almost constantly. Their incessant whispers became quite annoying after a while, actually. Especially the ones from Kul Elna, who were constantly urging him to seek revenge.

_I know that already, that's what I'm working on, aren't you paying attention?_ he wanted to say to them. But while he could hear the spirits, they could not hear him. It was an irritating position.

While most of the ghosts came from his own time, occasionally he would meet with someone from before his time. Sometimes, he even met some from the future – he always enjoyed those moments. It gave him a delicious glimpse of the future – he knew now that some time, a long time from now, humans would develop weapons capable of killing from a distance with more accuracy than arrows and a quicker reload time. Absolutely deadly, sometimes even if they missed the vital points. It was fascinating, and he wished he would survive long enough to see these beautiful weapons.

But there was one shade in particular that drew his attention.

She was only a girl, no older than ten. She hadn't died in any particularly interesting way. It had been an accident. She was very bloody though, and Bakura thought rather darkly that her death must have hurt a lot.

No, what made her interesting was the fact that she looked very much like himself. Her hair was long and white, a strange color in a girl so young. And her eyes...while a deep brown, instead of the purple of his own, they were fascinatingly deep with potential. He rather wished he could make her see or hear him, so that he could speak with her. But the future spirits couldn't even see him, and they rarely spoke. But as the young girl wandered on towards the afterlife, jumping through time and space in the erratic way that dead children did, since their souls rarely knew the way without help, she passed right through him, leaving a cold pit in his stomach.

But that coldness quickly gave way to warm amusement, and he turned to watch the spirit walk away and vanish with a grin on his face.

What had amused him so? How had this spirit put him in such a good mood? Because when she passed through him, he figured out exactly how she died.

It was amusing and interesting to know that he was the one that would kill her.

A/N: Me and my Amane headcanons. XD By now you probably know all about my theory about Amane, but if not...well, it'll come up sometime in a fanfiction or something. I might make a video about it. Next is Shackleshipping (Mai x Marik x Mokuba).


	126. Shackleshipping

_Shackleshipping (Mai x Mokuba x Marik)_

_(What a strange group...the only thing they have in common is the first letter of their names.)_

Mokuba trotted down the hallway. It was just about time to draw the first names for the first Battle City finals duel, but not everybody was there yet. So, of course, it was Mokuba's job to try and round everybody up. He sighed, resigned to his predicament.

A door slid open just as he was passing, and a tall, bleach-blonde woman appeared right in front of him.

"Oh," she said, obviously surprised to see him right in front of her. "Hey, you're Kaiba's brother, aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's me. Mokuba Kaiba," Mokuba said. "Mai Kujaku-san, right?"

He blushed slightly, remembering his brother's, ah, interesting description of her.

_"She's the tall blonde woman with a bust to spare. You can't miss her."_

"Yep. What's up?"

"Um, we're going to be drawing names now for the first duel, and my brother wants to make sure everyone is there."

"Sure thing, hun," Mai said, ruffling his hair.

Mokuba stepped quickly out of reach, surprised and somewhat offended by the motion. Geez, just because he was little didn't give people the right to treat him like a dog or something. Just then, another door opened, and the dark-skinned Namu stepped into view. His exotic purple eyes swept the hall and fell on Mokuba and Mai. Instantly, a smile appeared on his face as though plastered there like a mask. He walked over to them, speaking with a cheerful tone that for some reason seemed out of place to Mokuba.

"Hello," Namu said. "I guess it's that time, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Kaiba sent his brother to come get us," Mai said.

Namu smiled down at Mokuba, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Thanks, Mokuba-san," he said, patting him on the head.

Mokuba jumped out of reach and clapped his hands over his head like a helmet, shooting daggers at Namu. Namu sent him another one of his fake smiles, and followed Mai down the hall. Mokuba glared at their disappearing backs.

Why did everyone insist on patting him on the head?

A/N: Poor Mokuba-kun! Don't worry, I'll just give you a hug instead. :D Next is Shabonshipping (Jonouchi x Ryouta x Noa). Geez, another weird pairing.


	127. Shabonshipping

_Shabonshipping (Jonouchi x Ryouta x Noa)_

_(What on earth do these guys have in common with each other? And what the heck does "shabon" mean? It doesn't come up in Google!)_

Somehow, after the destruction of his main computer, Noa found himself floating around on the internet. He wasn't sure how, because his computer wasn't supposed to be connected to any wi-fi – after all it was in the middle of the ocean. But somehow or another, he was there, and there wasn't much he could do about it.

He spent most of his time inside 3D RPGs, where he could at least kind of feel like he was still alive, or at least back in his old virtual world, even though the graphics were a lot worse. He could also have legitimate conversations with real people through their avatars. They would always think he was another avatar, but it was nice, at least, to pretend.

Currently, he was in some sort of horror-occult RPG that involved lots of zombies, vampires, and the occasional exorcist.

"Hah! Die zombies, die!"

A blond haired warrior decked out in the cheapest possible armor zoomed past Noa, slicing through the hordes. Noa just looked at the zombies, a bit disappointed by how pixelated they looked. It was sad, really, and their pitifully slow attempts to attack him simply passed through him.

"Hey, you, aren't you gonna fight them? Dying here is a pain in the ass – you respawn like three towns away."

It was the blond haired warrior addressing him, and Noa noted the character name hanging over him: Joey. It was funny, actually, the guy looked sort of like Jonouchi, back from the virtual world.

"Oh, right, sorry, I was AFK," Noa made up quickly, knowing that his speech was showing up as text on the other person's screen.

"Just makin' sure," Joey said.

He killed a few more zombies lumbering towards them.

"Hey, where'd you get that avatar stuff? I didn't see that design in the customization."

"Hacked the system," Noa said, because, in a sense, it was true.

"Sweet," Joey said. "Could you teach me?"

"It might take a while, and it's not really easy to do over a chat booth."

"Yeah, probably. Well, it couldn't hurt. Oh, hey, brace yourself, the fast-moving wave is coming in!"

Noa didn't brace himself as he watched the faster moving zombies start to crawl out of the ground. One clawed its way out just behind Joey. Noa thought about warning him, but it was only a game, after all. He could probably see it already through the screen; this wasn't a first person game, after all.

A harpoon flew through the air and landed with a thunk in the zombie's skull.

"Haha! Take that, you undead fiends!"

Another avatar rushed onto the screen, brandishing another harpoon. His character name was Ryouta, and he seemed very excited to be here. He attacked things randomly, nearly hitting Noa and Joey at the same time.

"Hey! Watch it, newb!" Joey said, slicing a zombie. "I can take damage too, ya know!"

"Sorry!" Ryouta said, not changing a thing about his fighting style.

After a few zombies passed through Noa harmlessly, and the other two seemed intent on slashing things to bits, Noa decided to leave. Fighting games weren't the best place to hang out, he decided. No one ever wanted to talk. Maybe he'd head over to Omegle or something, instead.

A/N: Yeah. I don't even know. Who even ships this? Next is Servantshipping (Yami no Yugi x Mana). EEEEEEEEE! :D


	128. Servantshipping

_Servantshipping (Mana x Yami no Yugi)_

Every now and then, Yami no Yugi would have the sense that he was about to remember something – a feeling of deja vu, if you will. It was, at the same time, a frustrating and comforting feeling. On one hand, it was wonderful to feel like something was familiar – it let him know that he really had been someone before he woke up as a part of Yugi. On the other hand, it was almost infuriating to be on the verge of a memory and never quite grasp it.

Duel Monsters brought that feeling out a lot. Sometimes he could stare at a card for hours, trying to understand where that hint of a memory was coming from.

He was always most drawn to the Dark Magician Girl.

There was always something about her that struck him as familiar. It didn't come from Yugi's memories, either. It had something to do with the way her hair flipped, the sparkle of her eyes, and the cheerful smile that cross her features when the holographic system brought her to life. It was also in the way that something always felt a bit off every time he looked at her – like the color of her eyes was wrong or something.

Sometimes, while Yugi was sleeping, he would slip into control and sneak out the Duel Disk, so he could slip the card in and watch the hologram come to life. Even though he was doing it to try and regain his memories, he knew it was a strange and somewhat creepy habit – he hoped Yugi never found out about it.

One night, when the memory was being particularly elusive, the Dark Magician Girl turned with a snap towards him. She smiled in that bright way that she always did. He _knew_ that he had seen that smile before. He felt it in his very soul, the essence of himself. His head started to nod as his eyes drooped. He was more tired than he thought. The exact reason for the smile's familiarity escaped him like always –

"_You're the pharaoh now – so I've got to serve you the best I can!"_

Yami no Yugi started up with a jerk. That – had he remembered something? What had that voice been? A dream on the edge of his consciousness, just before he fell asleep? Or a memory?

The Dark Magician Girl twirled again, smiling that big, cheerful smile. But suddenly, it looked fake to him. Programmed and unreal. Irritated, he switched off the Duel Disk, and the the Dark Magician Girl flickered out of sight.

He climbed back into bed, slipped under the covers, and turned to stare up at the ceiling. He scrutinized the plain white plaster for a long time.

Had that voice been only a dream? Or had he truly remembered something?

"_You're the pharaoh now – so I've got to serve you as best I can!"_

He felt the barest hint of a tear in his eye, but he wiped it away angrily. For a moment, his memory opened up to him – just the barest crack. He could not remember the speaker's face. But he could remember how he had replied to her.

"That's not...what I wanted from you...Mana..."

A/N: EEEEEEEE! (I'm pretty sure the squeal of a fangirl can cause death just as much as a banshee.) Atem x Mana 4evah! Okay, now that I'm done being a stereotypical fangirl, we're going to move on. Next is Sepulchershipping (Yami no Bakura x Rishid).


	129. Sepulchershipping

_Sepulchershipping (Yami no Bakura x Rishid)_

"_Welcome back, Master Marik."_

_A pause._

"_Aren't you going to ask me what took me so long?"_

"_If I need to know, you'll tell me."_

_Marik seemed pleased with this answer._

"_We have a new ally."_

So Marik had said, but Rishid was unsure if they could consider this boy an ally. His glinting purple eyes did not allow for foolishness, nor did they indicate that he had any time for those he considered lower than himself – which was probably everyone. There were hidden agendas in those violet eyes, ulterior motives beneath that dark, placid expression. He would turn around and stab them in the back the moment they showed a weak point.

Yami no Bakura seemed to guess at Rishid's thoughts, because his lips pulled back into a predatory grin.

"So, you're Marik's shadow," he said smoothly. "I'm so pleased to meet you."

Rishid inclined his head silently, not taking his eyes off of the white-haired boy.

"Not much a talker, are you?" Bakura said in a false cheery tone.

"I speak when it becomes necessary," Rishid said simply.

"Of course," Bakura said, with a wicked smile. "You're only a shadow, after all. And shadows don't speak."

Bakura seemed to think that the confrontation was over, and started to walk past Rishid. But Rishid was not finished. He thrust out an arm and grabbed the boy by the shoulder. Bakura's violet eyes flashed to Rishid's hand, and then up at Rishid's face. His expression glinted with irritation, but Rishid cut him off before he could speak.

"If Marik gets hurt in any of these schemes, and you're in the vicinity," Rishid said, his voice cold. "I will act. Do you understand?"

The stare-off lasted for an indefinable moment. Then a smile twitched across Bakura's face.

"Yes," he said slowly, a dark, knowing grin spreading across his features. "I understand _quite_ clearly."

Rishid nodded silently. They stepped back from each other and regarded each other for one last moment.

Then, they both put away their concealed knives, and left each other.

A/N: Hah, Rishid and Bakura are threatening each other. :) Rishid is so underappreciated; I love him. Next is Seershipping (Ishizu x Priestess Isis).


	130. Seershipping

_Seershipping (Ishizu x Priestess Isis)_

Ishizu had often felt trapped. Trapped below the ground, trapped in a life that she knew was killing her bit by bit, trapped by loneliness and confusion as she tried to come to terms with being left behind by her brothers – the list went on and on.

But the Millennium Tauk opened up horizons for her that she never could have imagined on her own. The magic item gave her a freedom she had never even dreamed of. Both the future and the past were hers to call, hers to watch at her command, even hers to manipulate, when the chance came to her. It gave her a measure of security and control over her own life. If she could see the future, she could change it. If she could change it, then she was no longer trapped.

But despite the warm, comforting glint of the necklace about her neck, she could not deny the terror that being a seer surrounded her with. What if the dark future she envisioned came to pass? What if her brother was lost to the darkness forever?

What if she failed?

It was at times like those, when all she could think about was trying not to cry, trying to stay strong but failing because there was no one around for her to stay strong for, that she found herself staring at her own face in the mirror. She tried to understand it, understand herself. But although the future was as clear as day to her, it was as though her own reflection was a mystery beyond compare.

Her tanned, softly sculpted features stared back at her. Thin, slanted eyebrows, a long, slender nose, black hair falling limply across shaking shoulders, golden jewelry glinting in the dim light of a single, faraway lamp in an otherwise dark room. Warm brown eyes gone cold with numbness looked bleakly out from a face that had seen too much of life's hurts.

_Help me,_ she thought, but her reflection was nothing but light absorbed and shot back at her. It knew even less than she did.

But, just once or twice, she thought she caught a glint of someone else in those eyes. It was still herself, but herself with memories far different from her own, and a strength that Ishizu envied. It was during those brief, beautiful moments that she could feel herself being enveloped in a warm, insubstantial embrace.

_Courage_, it whispered. _Courage._

And then Ishizu would begin to cry, letting herself let go, for only a moment. And she let herself rest for just a few moments, because she knew who spoke to her.

Even reaching across time, it wasn't hard to recognize herself.

A/N: Abstract, but I like it. :) I actually think Ishizu may be my favorite Yu-Gi-Oh character. At least, along with Yugi, Yami no Yugi, Seto, Marik, and Anzu. XD Next is Sedateshipping (Marik x Shizuka).


	131. Sedateshipping

_Sedateshipping (Marik x Shizuka)_

She caught him off guard, right when he should have been the most focused.

The numbers had been drawn, and Rishid was about to duel that fool of a boy Jonouchi. Marik had to be up there and reinforce the deception that Rishid was, in fact, Marik. He didn't have any time to waste.

But then he had seen her.

She was some distance off, but not so far that he couldn't see her face or hear her voice. Pretty to the passing glance, although Marik had no time for such things, she was a slight thing of perhaps fourteen, with fair skin, reddish-brown hair, and cheerful light brown eyes.

"Come on, nii-chan," she said, a laugh coloring her voice. "Don't hesitate; you have to go up now, right?"

"Geez, Shizuka, don't be such a pest," Jonouchi said, though he seemed just a bit nervous as he said it.

Shizuka laughed softly, and then dusted off the front of his shirt.

"Oh, nii-chan, what am I going to do with you?" she teased. "You look like a mess."

"Hey, I'm only playing a card game. It's not like it's gonna matter if I'm in my Sunday best."

Shizuka laughed again, and even Jonouchi grinned, despite his obvious uneasiness about going up against the one he thought was Marik.

"Please just get yourself up there," Kaiba snapped.

The tall boy turned on his heel without waiting for a retort, and stalked into the elevator.

"Geez," Jonouchi said, sticking his tongue out at Kaiba's back. "Come on, let's go, Shizuka. It's time for you to see your brother kick some ass!"

"Nii-chan, you shouldn't use such language!"

"I know, I know!"

The blonde boy slipped into the elevator beside Kaiba and Rishid, and gave Shizuka a jaunty wave as the doors closed. Shizuka waved back, and everyone else headed for the stairs.

Marik found himself frozen. The hint of a tremble started in his fists, and he stilled it instantly. Angrily. This shouldn't be happening.

"_Oh, Marik, what am I going to do with you? You're a mess!" Ishizu said with a slight laugh, wiping at his dirty face._

He shouldn't be thinking about this – not now. He shouldn't be thinking about Ishizu. But Shizuka had brought up memories –

He shook his head, composed himself, and headed for the stairs. He ended up just behind Shizuka. She glanced back, and smiled shyly at him. He forced a smile, hoping that it looked cheerful enough.

"You seem to get along well with your brother," he said. He had to fake friendliness. Just for a little while longer.

But that seemed out of the question at Shizuka's suddenly bright smile.

"Oh, yes," she said. "I love my brother. I love him a lot – I can't wait to see him dueling. I've never watched him before!"

"Think he'll win?" Marik asked.

"Yes! I believe in my brother!"

Marik almost stopped. Her smile – her bright, unwavering, faithful smile, that saw no evil and exuded none. He wasn't sure if he wanted to hit her or hug her.

"You're...you're lucky to be so close to him," he finally managed to say.

Shizuka nodded, and her eyes remained as shining and hopeful as ever. As her eyes turned away from him, he let his mask slip away.

He wanted to pretend he was angry. Furious, even. About this girl who believed so deeply in her brother, even though Marik knew there was no way he could win, who loved so unconditionally and could not possibly understand darkness or hate or anything that Marik had been forced to learn about.

He wanted to pretend he was angry. He had been pretending that for so many years.

But she had reminded him. He was only pretending.

The truth was, all he wanted to do was cry.

A/N: Aw, poor Marik. Next is Secondshipping (Pegasus x Ryuzaki).


	132. Secondshipping

_Secondshipping (Pegasus x Ryuzaki)_

Dinosaur Ryuzaki hated losing. He hated it so much that whenever it happened, he wanted to hit and throw things, especially breakable things that would shatter with a pleasing sound. But while losing was bad, it was almost better to lose towards the middle of a tournament, because absolutely nothing was worse than being second place. No one remembered second place – well, no one remembered anyone under that, either, but that wasn't the point. The point was second place meant being this close to being the champion, to being the best, to being remembered. Second place was too close, and yet too far from the place that Ryuzaki wanted to be.

So he scowled from the shadows as a beaming Haga accepted the trophy Pegasus J. Crawford. It wasn't fair. That bug-loving shrimp with the stupid laugh was getting the special treatment, actually getting to talk to Ryuzaki's hero, Pegasus. Ryuzaki had worked his butt off getting ready for this tournament – and it was mostly because he wanted to meet Pegasus. The creator of Duel Monsters, possibly the best games player on the face of the Earth stood only a few feet away from him, and Haga was standing in the spotlight that Ryuzaki had wanted.

The crowd shouted and screamed as Pegasus straightened and waved out to the audience. Ryuzaki grumbled under his breath. Haga sent Ryuzaki a wicked grin, and then turned with his trophy and disappeared down the side corridor. Ryuzaki grumbled again, and started to do the same down his own side.

Then a hand tapped his shoulder. He turned around with a scowl, expecting a gloating Haga, but the look on his face froze into one of disbelief when he saw Pegasus' beaming face.

"Wait, don't go yet," Pegasus said. "That was a marvelous duel you had out there. Simply marvelous."

Ryuzaki's mouth flapped open and closed, unable to speak. That didn't seem to matter, because Pegasus filled the gap.

"Despite Haga's win, you show a great amount of potential!" Pegasus said, moving his hands animatedly as he talked. "I'd like to give you the same offer I gave to young Haga. I'm hosting a new tournament, Duelist Kingdom. A duelist of your caliber should certainly attend – there will be a great prize to the winner, as well."

Ryuzaki swallowed, still unable to talk. Pegasus was talking to _him_!Pegasus was inviting him to a special tournament! Even though Ryuzaki had lost, Pegasus was still right here, talking to him!

"So, what do you say?" Pegasus said. "I would be very pleased to see you there."

Ryuzaki finally found his voice.

"I – yes!" he said. "That sounds – awesome!"

Awesome? Really? That was all he was able to say? Pegasus must think he was stupid, now.

But Pegasus didn't act like he thought so. Instead, he clapped Ryuzaki on the shoulder, smiling broadly.

"Good man, Ryuzaki!" he said. "You'll be receiving your official invitation in the mail shortly. I'm truly glad to have you, truly. This will be quite an exciting tournament!"

Ryuzaki could only nod dumbly as Pegasus smiled again and sauntered away. Ryuzaki stood frozen for a long moment. Then he shook his head, whipped around, and ran back home to wait for the mail.

A/N: Aw, Ryuzaki's actually pretty adorable right now. :3 I know what it's like to meet your idol for the first time; I once met my favorite author at a book signing and I was so terribly tongue-tied at first! I think I may actually be gaining a bit of respect for Ryuzaki now. Next is Searchshipping (Yami no Marik x Marik x Rishid x Ishizu).


	133. Searchshipping

_Searchshipping (Yami no Marik x Rishid x Marik x Ishizu)_

The problem was, none of them could find each other. Both in a physical sense, and in an emotional one. The Ishtar family was a broken one, and it was all they could do to search for themselves, much less each other.

Ishizu Ishtar sat in a mostly empty train, staring out into the gloomy day as rain clung to the window. Her breath fogged the glass as her brown eyes stared back at her.

_Marik,_ she thought. _Rishid._

The hint of a tear began in her eye, but she blinked it away. She forced herself to become numb. It was the only way to stay sane during the tireless – and fruitless – search for her family: the journey to escape the constant pain in her heart.

Rishid Ishtar stared out into an equally gloomy night, the rain falling steadily down his head and dripping down his angular face. Despite the drops in his eyes, he continued to stare at the sky, wondering, hoping, that Ishizu was looking at the same sky. If that was true, then they weren't so far apart. He hated himself. He had left Ishizu behind – but if he hadn't, he would have left Marik behind. Had he made the right choice? Was he in the right place? The answers eluded him, and he closed his eyes against the rain. The search for answers was not an easy one. It never would be.

Marik Ishtar glared out into the rain from the small coffee shop, hating it for existing. He didn't know why Rishid wanted to stand out in it, but he hadn't asked. That was the relationship they shared. Neither asked questions of the other. It was easier that way. The blurred form of Rishid through the rain was stark against the gray, and for some reason, it just made Marik more angry. He wasn't sure why he was angry. It seemed to have no direction. But as he stared into the mug of coffee before him, he could see the coffee brown eyes of Ishizu sparkling at him. He had to stop himself from smacking the coffee cup onto the floor to shatter. Instead, he downed the rest of it, letting the heat sear through him and burn his tongue. The momentary pain distracted him from the search for the source of his anger. Because he already knew what it was, and he didn't want to acknowledge it.

Through Marik's own eyes, and without his knowing, a shadow watched the rain fall with a quiet consideration. He felt the anger of his host pulse through him, savoring the power that gave him. Yes, that was it. Get angrier, and angrier. Become angry at yourself, for leaving what was important behind. Become angry at how your relationship with Rishid has dissolved into that of a master and servant, for deserting Ishizu, for letting yourself become consumed in hatred and revenge. Then allow yourself to become consumed anyway. The shadow laughed softly, but Marik didn't hear him. Then he returned to staring at the rain through Marik's eyes, and imagined them becoming drops of blood.

The search for dominance would end soon...

A/N: I really, really like this one. I love switching between thoughts, I love getting deep into the heads of characters, and I love parallelism. This was a lot of fun to write, and I hope it was just as much fun to read. Next is Sealshipping (Atem x Mahad).


	134. Sealshipping

_Sealshipping (Atem x Mahad)_

_(Sometime when Atem is about nine or ten, and Mahad is only about fourteen or so; kind of an alternative scene of that one from a flashback during Millennium World)_

Atem scrambled inside a vase. He went completely still and silent, imagining himself becoming as insubstantial as a shadow. He heard footsteps rush past. He heard them go back the other way again.

"Prince Atem! Prince Atem!" said the frantic voice of Mahad. "This isn't funny! Where are you? Prince Atem!"

Atem held his breath. He could feel Mahad hovering right beside the vase.

_Don't look in here, don't look in here, don't look in here..._

The footsteps padded uncertainly off in one direction, and then the distant shattering of a vase sent him dashing off in another direction. Atem could barely conceal his grin. Mana. That had to have been her.

Cautiously, he poked his head up above the vase's rim. Mahad was nowhere to be seen. Atem thought about using shadow magic to make sure Mahad wasn't nearby, but he wasn't very good at it yet and Mahad would certainly sense it.

Once certain that the coast was clear, Atem hopped gracefully out of the vase. Mana appeared around the corner, grinning madly.

"I distracted him!" she said, saluting. "He's gonna be sorting through that for a little while."

"What did you do, Mana?" Atem asked, genuinely interested.

Mana sent him a wolfish grin, and Atem could already tell she was going to keep it a secret.

"Okay, well, I guess I don't really need to know," Atem said. "So, now that we've got the nag off our tails, what do you want to do? Before he catches on, I mean."

Mana's eyes lit up.

"Let's go out to the fruit orchard," she said. "I'm hungry."

Atem nodded, liking the idea. The pair set off down the corridor, being extra cautious to make sure Mahad wasn't sneaking up on them. Atem felt a rush of exhilaration at his new found freedom. Whenever Mahad was around, all Atem could do was work, work, work. It was just one order after the next: go to this lesson, prepare for that one, don't forget that you're going to be the pharaoh someday, don't waste your time playing games right now, don't go see Mana until you're done with your work, don't leave the palace without a guard, blah, blah, blah. Bo-ring.

Every time he could get the chance, he and Mana would sneak away, out to the fruit orchards, the village sometimes, into the kitchens, where ever they weren't supposed to be, really. Mahad was left scrambling to find them.

They reached the final doors and jogged out into the warm desert sun. The sky was beautiful and blue, clear as water, and the far away fruit trees at the center of the huge courtyard were blurred through a haze of heat.

"Race you!" Mana squeaked, and she tore off.

With a shout of indignation at her getting a head start, Atem shot after her. When they reached the trees, they collapsed in a tumble of laughter. They giggled on the ground for a while. The sand was scratchy underneath Atem, but it was a nice feeling of freedom. He grinned up into the leaves that provided shade above him.

Mana popped up into a sitting position. Her stomach rolled, and Atem laughed. She jumped up and tried to reach for a pomegranate, stretching up on tip toe but not quite tall enough. With a smile, Atem, too, stood up. He reached the fruit easily and pulled it down for Mana.

"There you go," Atem said.

"Thanks!"

Mana bit into the fruit hungrily. Atem's own stomach rumbled, as he had skipped lunch to have maximum time for hiding. He started to reach for a pomegranate.

"Prince Atem!"

Atem groaned. He turned around to see Mahad stumbling to a stop in front of them. The older boy rested his hands on his knees to catch his breath, long brown hair falling over his tanned face.

"Prince...Atem," he panted. "Really...what...are you...thinking...?"

"Mana and I wanted to go to the orchard," Atem said defensively. "You never let us go."

Atem couldn't help but feel a stab of anger. He was supposed to be the next pharaoh, wasn't he? So why did Mahad have to run his entire life for him? This couldn't be right!

"Well, that doesn't mean that you can go running off by yourselves!" Mahad said.

He had regained his wind, and it looked like Atem was about to get another lecture. Well, not this time, Atem thought. This time, he'd show Mahad.

"There are other things that require your attention, Prince Atem. As a future pharaoh, you need to learn to put other things before yourse –"

Mahad's voice stopped abruptly, his eyes widened with a hint of terror. The glance killed all of the harsh words about to flood out of Atem's mouth.

"Prince Atem, look out!"

In a blur of motion, Mahad had grabbed Atem's arm and flung him towards Mana. Atem nearly landed on Mana before catching himself, shocked at Mahad's sudden movement – and then he heard the hiss.

Atem whipped around to see a snake shoot at Mahad and sink its teeth into the older boy's arm. Only the barest flicker of pain registered in Mahad's otherwise focused face. Then he spoke a single word of power, and the snake went flying through the orchard. It vanished as Mahad dropped to one knee.

Atem stared for only a moment.

Then he rushed to Mahad's side and grabbed his arm.

"I'm fine," Mahad said, trying to take his arm back.

But Atem wouldn't hear of it. He wrenched Mahad's arm towards him and inspected the wound. It was tiny, almost inconsequential, but Atem knew snakes, and that one had been –

A flutter of terror went through his chest, and he instantly put his mouth to the wound, sucking out to poison.

"Prince Atem," Mahad said. "I'll be fine –"

"Don't talk," Atem ordered. "Don't make the poison move any faster, okay? Just let me get it out."

Mahad fell silent. Atem returned to his task. Silence filled the orchard. Atem tried to focus only on helping Mahad, trying to still the rush of emotions in his chest.

Mahad had almost died trying to protect him. Him. The reckless, brash, disobedient boy that tried to break the rules every passing second, the one that drove Mahad nearly up a wall with his antics. Sure, he was the pharaoh's son, and the future king.

But Mahad had deliberately taken the snake bite himself. He had saved Atem's life. That hadn't been an act because of Atem's position – that had been a gut reaction, that only someone that cared about him would have done.

Atem let go of Mahad's arm. The poison should be gone. Mahad looked at the wound, and then at Atem. His eyes were warm with relief – not at his own escape from death, but at the fact that Atem was unharmed.

"Thank you," Mahad said.

Atem shook his head. His own disparaging thoughts about Mahad played through his head. Mahad had not deserved it. Any of it.

"No," he said. "Thank you."

And with those words, he sealed an everlasting friendship.

A/N: I think Atem was probably something of a troublemaker as a kid. And I can see Mahad being a nag; he'd have to be, between Mana and Atem. Next is Screechshipping (Rebecca x Anzu x Mai.)


	135. Screechshipping

_Screechshipping (Rebecca x Anzu x Mai)_

As a general rule, Anzu loved to hang out with people. Her friends especially, but she was pretty friendly with everyone. But there was something about being stuck in the same room as both of these people at the same time that made her want to screech like a banshee.

Now, it wasn't that she disliked Mai or Rebecca. She actually liked them both quite a bit, despite her initial responses to them. But both of them together just felt like a recipe for disaster, and she wasn't mistaken.

"Why on earth do you still carry that thing around?" Mai asked. "I mean, aren't you a little old for teddy bears?"

"I'm never too old for teddy!" Rebecca giggled, hugging the bear.

What on earth had possessed her to invite the two of them on a shopping trip? Oh, right, it had been Yugi's suggestion. Yeah, great idea, Yugi...because everyone is visiting, it might be fun for the girls to go out and do something together. Great, Yugi. Great. Anzu reminded herself to smack him when she got home.

"Rebecca-chan," Anzu said, feeling a headache coming on. "You don't have to keep that act up right now. You're with friends, and besides, you're not dueling."

"That's an act?" Mai said, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

Rebecca's cheerful look slid from her face, replaced with a haughty, almost teenager-like expression.

"What, you couldn't tell? I thought you were good at reading people," she said, sounding a lot older all of a sudden. Geez, it was like a total personality change.

"What the heck? Why do you act like a five-year-old when you're really like that?"

"Same reason you use your little Aroma Tactic when you're really not psychic," Rebecca said. "You want to win."

"That's totally different from your lolita gig," Mai said.

"Not really. We both manipulate our opponent's psychology, to win before the fight has even started. It's the same basic psychological principle."

"Don't act so superior about it."

"I think you're just sore because I'm smarter than you at age twelve, and while my job opportunities are nearly limitless at my age and intelligence, while you can only make a living by either working in a casino or playing card games."

Mai's face went red, and she unfolded her suddenly clenched fists.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Anzu said, stepping in between them. "Calm _down_, both of you! We are in a public place, you know! Don't make a scene!"

Mai scowled. She sent Rebecca a death glare, but refolded her arms and looked pointedly away. Anzu sighed. This could only be the beginning...why couldn't they have stayed at Yugi's place and played games with the rest of them while Anzu did the shopping?

A/N: Short, but I don't really have the patience for this one. Besides, I don't think I can really go much farther with this one, and I don't want to go until Mai ends up hitting Rebecca, because then that would be child abuse and Mai would get in trouble. :3 Next is Screamshipping (Shizuka x Yami no Bakura).


	136. Screamshipping

_Screamshipping (Shizuka x Yami no Bakura)_

Shizuka didn't know why this hallway was so dark. How had she gotten here again? She couldn't quite remember. The blimp had more corridors than she had thought possible on such a vehicle, and she had somehow gotten herself turned around.

Well, there was not help for it. She started off down the darkened corridor, her footsteps echoing eerily against the walls.

Then a hand clamped down on Shizuka's mouth. She froze as a cold steel tip brushed her neck.

"Hush, now," said a soft voice in her ear. "I'd rather not deal with any screaming."

Shizuka's heart beat so fast she was certain that it was going to burst out of her chest. Who was this? Who was behind her, and why did he have a knife? She tried desperately to remember everyone that was on the blimp – there was only one person she could think of that might threaten her. Could it be the tall, forbidding man that Jonouchi had told her was Marik, the one that had been chasing them throughout Battle City and even kidnapped Anzu and Mokuba at one point? She could think of no other answers.

"Now," the voice hissed in her ear, and it didn't sound deep enough to be Marik. "Do I have your promise that you won't scream, girl?"

Shizuka nodded, still frozen with terror. Her captor seemed content with that, and his hand left her mouth. Shizuka sucked in a long, shuddering breath. The knife did not move from its spot at her neck as he turned her around and pushed her against the wall.

Her heart dropped into her stomach. Bakura? Ryo Bakura? What was he doing – wasn't he Yugi and Jonouchi's friend? Hadn't she just talked to him only five minutes ago, and found him to be a kind, polite boy? But no, there was something different. The eyes, that was it. Ryo's eyes were a bright, beautiful green, but this man's eyes were a dark violet, deep with evil thoughts.

Her throat was so dry that she couldn't even try to scream.

"So, you're Jonouchi's little sister," Bakura's look-alike said. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't you...if not very brave."

"W-What do you want?" she managed to squeak.

Bakura blinked at her.

"Well, nothing, really. But you did happen to wander into _my_ space, and I can't have that, now can I?"

"Y-your space? B-But the blimp is Kaiba-san's..."

A dark smile crossed Bakura's features.

"The blimp? Oh no, I didn't meant that. I'm talking about the shadows, my dear. You walked into the shadows, and now you are learning what that truly means."

Bakura ran a finger down a lock of Shizuka's hair. Trembling overtook her as the knife in his other hand tapped against her temple.

"Well, now, what to do with you," Bakura said, almost to himself. "I suppose you didn't hear anything, or see anything amiss, so I'll have to let you go. A pity, but I can't have Jonouchi wondering where you've gone. That will get the pharaoh on my trail."

Those dark violet eyes considered her again for a long, terrifying moment.

"Hm. Perhaps it's not such a pity. After all, you didn't even try to fight. Not very interesting, at all, are you?"

Then he tapped her forehead, and everything went black.

Shizuka blinked awake. Hm? What was she doing on the floor? She couldn't think past the dizziness in her head.

She sat up, slowly, as the dizziness in her head peaked at the movement. Oh, this was the duelist's hallway. She knew where she was. Shizuka shook her head. She must have been anemic, or something.

She stood up and walked down the hall to find her brother.

She didn't not notice, nor remember, the white-haired figure smirking in the corner behind her.

A/N: Hm, yeah. The dynamic of Shizuka and Bakura wasn't as good as some of the other Bakura ones. I think that's why Vexshipping is more popular than Screamshipping. Next is Scornshipping (Seto x Dark Magician).


	137. Scornshipping

_Scornshipping (Seto x Dark Magician)_

There was just something about that card that made Seto unnaturally angry. It didn't even seem to be because of his rivalry with Yugi. The Dark Magician was a powerful card, to be sure, and Seto had even considered trying to secure one for himself at some point. But, he had eventually discarded the idea, and not just because he didn't use a spellcaster deck.

No, it was because, for some reason, every time he looked at that card he found himself dripping with scorn.

_Who are you to look at me like that?_ He thought at the masterful painting of the magic being. _You were always so – _

He stopped himself in mid-thought. So what? Why had he been thinking about the card like it was a real person? It was just a card – a slip of paper. Still, when he looked down at that little slip of paper, the purple-robed magician staring back at him, thoughts that were not his own would flash through his mind. Thoughts of irritation, anger, even downright rage at times, like memories of someone from long ago.

He knew it was stupid. Maybe that knowledge that the card made him react in such a way was half of the reason why he felt so angry at it. But especially today, as he stared down at that card, he could feel the anger sparking in his chest.

But today, he realized that that anger was merely masking something else. Something...cold, and dead, deep within him. And a single thought, like the fleeting presence of a dream, passed through him...

_You...idiot. You didn't have to...die alone._

A/N: Just some flashbacks, to Mahad and stuff. Yeah. Uh-huh. Moving on...next is Scandalshipping (Set x Atem).


	138. Scarshipping

_Scarshipping (Rishid x Thief King Bakura)_

No one knew where the Thief King had gotten his scar. Some said he had taken the wound in a battle with a dragon – which he had won, of course. Others said it was the mark of Anubis, dealt out when the Thief King had battled his way out of the Underworld and cheated death.

No one knew the truth...except for Bakura himself, of course.

It had been a dark night. Bakura had been barely twelve years old, scrounging for food on the streets of Kemet, holing up in the ruins of Kul Elna at night. He had learned much in those catacombs, oh yes. Taught the secrets of magic by the spirits of his deceased kinsmen, he had learned how to kill a man without touching him, summon beasts of terrible power, and had nursed a deep hatred for the man who had done this to his people, a hatred nurtured by the whispers of the spirits around him.

At first, he hadn't been surprised to see the boy appear on the steps into the Millennium chamber. Ghosts and spirits did so all the time while Bakura was practicing his magic in the underground chamber. But when he had realized that the being was made of flesh and blood, he had turned on the boy.

His magic snaked through the air like lightning, aimed to kill – but then it changed its course and hit a wall instead. Bakura's dark eyes flashed to his opponent. He was taller than Bakura, broad-shouldered even for his obviously young age. His tanned features were soft, his head mostly shaved but for a single ponytail of black hair. He wore a long, dark cloak, and brown eyes looked out from under heavy brows with deep determination. He looked a bit surprised when he saw Bakura, but that was quickly replaced with a stony, unreadable gaze. He was obviously practiced at hiding his emotions.

"Who are you?" Bakura asked.

The boy didn't answer right away, but when he did, his voice was deep and rich.

"I am Rishid," he said. "And you...you are Bakura, are you not?"

Bakura paused. How did this boy know who he was? Bakura had never told his name to anyone. Bakura pretended to consider the question, as he put his hands behind his back and weaved a new spell.

"I might be," Bakura said, wandering forward a bit. "But I've never heard of a Rishid...so who's asking, and why?"

"I am from the future," Rishid said.

Bakura dropped the spell in alarm. The future? How could that be?

"Don't believe me? Use your magic senses...I know you can. I've read much about you."

Read about him? Bakura felt a bit of satisfaction trickle through him. Somehow, he would become someone of importance, if this boy who claimed to be from the future would know about him. Interesting...it might be fun to see how this would go.

Bakura took the boy's advice and sent his mind forward into the air. Rishid had not been lying – his aura did not belong to the air around it...it was like the two pressures of magic rejected each other. That was why Bakura's spell had been reflected...apparently he could not affect the future.

"So, you are who you say you are," Bakura mused. "But what do you want from me?"

Bakura did not miss the flicker of apprehension in Rishid's eyes.

"Something wrong?" Bakura drawled.

Rishid's expression hardened.

"No."

"You don't look very happy to be here."

"It took me a long time to learn how to world walk," Rishid said, pulling his cloak around him. "But this is the only plane to which I can go. Others might disagree with this but...I have no other choice."

Hm...this boy was here without permission. Interesting.

Bakura wandered a bit closer.

"So...what is so important that you would come to me?"

"It is said that you know much of ancient magics," Rishid said. "I want to learn of rune magic. There's a particular passage that I'm looking for, actually, and it is only here, in Kul Elna."

Rune magic? Interesting.

"Why, may I ask?"

Rishid's eyes darkened.

"My reasons are my own."

Bakura slowly drew a knife from his sleeve, tossing it up and down lazily. He kept his eyes fixed on Rishid.

"What if I refused?"

Rishid's gaze didn't waver.

"You can't touch me, and I can't touch you," Rishid said. "We are from two different times. I will find the passage I'm looking for on the walls of Kul Elna, and you cannot stop me."

Bakura considered this. Slowly, he replaced the knife. He would let Rishid play this little game for a bit longer...and then he would make his move.

"Well, as long as you do not bother me," Bakura said, sweeping his arm in a mocking bow to Rishid. "Go right ahead and find your precious passage."

He turned away from Rishid and made a show of returning to practicing magic.

He could feel Rishid's eyes on his back for a moment. Then the boy turned and walked to one of the walls. Bakura watched Rishid from the corner of his eye, considering the boy as he studied the hieroglyphics across the walls. He worked his way around the room slowly, carefully. As he did so, Bakura read the magic that kept Rishid here. It was no different from the magic that allowed the spirits to wander Kul Elna.

And Bakura had long ago learned how to reach across that magic in order to kill a spirit.

Bakura rose slowly. Rishid had worked his way to a place where his back was to Bakura. He had paused right there, and was staring at the hieroglyphics intently. Interesting...that was a binding spell he appeared to be memorizing. A ritual to attach a person to a certain task, turning their magic into one of protection for the subject of their attachment...so, he had someone or something he wanted to protect. Fascinating.

Bakura stalked the boy, silent as a jackal. The knife slid back into his palm, reinforced with a few words of power. Now this knife could pierce worlds...

He was almost on top of Rishid before the boy noticed him. Bakura's knife whistled through the air, catching Rishid right against his left shoulder blade. Rishid did not cry out. He instead stiffened, and as Bakura drew his knife back out to stab again, he was already whipped around and catching Bakura across the face.

The boy's hand, however, seemed to glance off of him. Bakura grinned wickedly as Rishid realized that he could not piece the magic that separated them like Bakura could. Bakura shot forward once more with his dagger. But Rishid was resourceful, it seemed. He caught Bakura hand where it gripped the hilt, and the magic of the dagger allowed Rishid to grab hold.

Bakura may have been quicker and more skilled in magic than Rishid, but Rishid was undeniably stronger physically. He easily peeled Bakura's hand from the hilt, and then the magically enforced dagger was his. Bakura was not easily dissuaded, however, and yet another knife appeared in his hand. This one, too, was reinforced, and the pair swiped futilely at each other. Rishid was slower, and he took another slash across the chest. But the motion threw Bakura off balance, and then Rishid swung down.

The black sliced down Bakura's cheek, and blood spurted into his left eye. Bakura gasped, and leapt back. He hurriedly tried to blink the blood from his eye, wary of an attack at any second –

But it never came. And when his vision finally cleared, Rishid was gone. Bakura touched his cheek gingerly. That would leave a scar. Damn.

Years later, however, he did not mind the scar so much. In fact, he enjoyed hearing the rumors of how he got it. And in the silent moments of the night, he would send a sardonic thank you to the mysterious Rishid of the future, who had made him appear even more of a monstrous terror to the pitiful people of Kemet.

A/N: I thought it would be interesting to delve into how Rishid figured out what to carve onto his face, and how Bakura got his scar. I'll probably come up with a much more plausible idea later, but since it is "scar"shipping, I couldn't resist. Next is Scaleshipping (Karim x Shadi).


	139. Scandalshipping

_Scandalshipping (Set x Atem)_

Set had always been...something of a mystery to Atem. Sure, he had a blunt personality, as Atem had often run across whenever he played pranks. He was irritable, strict, stern, a killjoy, had no time for games of _any_ sort, and definitely had a superiority complex.

But there was something in those strange blue eyes of his that intrigued Atem. Even when they were flashing with irritation or even downright anger, there was a measure of maturity in his eyes. It was the look of someone who had had to grow up way too fast – after all, Set was only a year or two older than Atem himself. Once or twice, Atem caught the tall boy alone, staring off at something that only he could see, with his eyes as empty as the Underworld. Those moments hurt Atem. He knew nothing of the pain that Set had experienced. Nothing. He had been pampered since the day he was born. Sometimes, although feeling guilty at the thought, he wished that he had experienced some of that pain. Then, maybe, it would take some of the sting away from those looks he would catch.

"Prince Atem," Set said, his eyes glimmering with barely concealed irritation. "You have an economics lesson in ten minutes. You remember, don't you?"

"Yes," Atem lied quickly. "I was on my way there now."

Set obviously did not believe him, but he held his tongue. Instead, he fell into step beside Atem, crushing Atem's hopes of slipping away for an hour or so. Silence grew between them, broken only by the shuffle of their feet and the whoosh of their canvas clothing.

Atem chanced a glance across or rather, up, at Set. It was sometimes annoying how much taller Set was.

Set's eyes had emptied again. Atem's heart caught, and he looked quickly away. There was such...depth...in that look. It was like an ocean had grown in Set's blue eyes, and Atem was afraid of drowning in it. He trained his eyes in front of him, but the reflection of the empty eyes kept flashing through his head.

Slowly, Atem came to a hesitant stop. Set paused, glancing back at him.

"Is everything all right?"

"Where do...where do you go?" Atem asked.

Set blinked.

"What?"

Atem tried again.

"Where do you go? When your eyes empty...what do you see?"

Silence enveloped the pair, facing each other, red eyes to blue. Finally, Set's eyes closed slowly, and opened again. He smiled wryly.

"With all due respect, Prince Atem..." he said. "I don't think you want to know."

"I do," Atem said, stubborn now. "I – I don't know what pain is. How can I be a pharaoh if I don't understand that?"

At that statement, Set's eyes softened. In fact, his whole body seemed to let go of something heavy. In just a brief moment, Set had transformed from the tall, forbidding man Atem knew, to a small, broken boy with too much hurt in his soul.

Atem refused to look away. It hurt him so much to see Set like this, but he would not look away from it.

"I see my mother," Set said finally. "And...my village. In flames."

Set closed his eyes.

"I don't want to burden you with this, Prince Atem."

Atem took a step forward.

"I am going to be a pharaoh someday. Then I will have to shoulder the burden of thousands. This will be...good practice for me."

Set opened his eyes, and Atem half-smiled. Set let out a single, quiet laugh.

"I suppose it will be," he said. "All right. I think of the village, like I said before. But most often, I think about how I never saw my mother before everything burned. But I did see...I did see the men that did it. And I saw them burn up in the breath of a dragon – it was...not a pretty sight."

Set's shoulders stiffened imperceptibly. Atem reached forward tentatively, and touched his shoulders. They relaxed, and he looked Atem in the eye again.

"So, my mind runs away with me..." he said. "And I imagine my mother burning up in the same way as those men."

Atem tightened his hand on Set's shoulder. Although he had not seen it, had never seen anyone burn to death, for a single, terrible moment, he could see what Set saw – as clear as day, as bright as fire, the image seared through him so badly that he nearly collapsed.

But he kept a hand on Set's shoulder, steadying them both. Set put his own hand on top of Atem's.

They stood silently for a long moment, as the words and the image sank into the emptiness around them.

Then, suddenly, a door slid open a ways down the hallway, and Isis appeared. Her deep brown eyes swept the hallway, and came to a rest on the two boys. The hint of a smile twitched across her lips.

"My apologies," she said. "I didn't mean to..._interrupt_ anything."

For some reason, the way she said it made both Atem and Set blush terribly.

"I-Isis, wait, that's not what was happening –" Atem said.

Isis just smiled mischievously and swept back through the doorway. As the silence regained its hold on the hallway, Atem and Set decided, rather pointedly, not to look at each other as they continued down the hallway.

A/N: Way to interrupt the mood, Isis. XD I can definitely see her doing that. While this is cute, I can't ship this cause they're cousins, and that's weird, even if they do live in ancient Egypt where kings married their sisters and even *shudder* their daughters. Next is Scarshipping (Rishid x Thief King Bakura).


	140. Scaleshipping

_Scaleshipping (Karim x Shadi)_

_(Oh no...it's Shadi again...plus a guy that has absolutely no personality...this is gonna end up being short and abstract, people.)_

The thing about lingering spirits is that they could sense things. The separation of the soul and the body made one more in touch with the spiritual residue around them. He had lingered for far too long, he knew. But that did not matter. He must wander until that door had been opened and that was that. He would continue to weigh souls and try robbers as he waited.

Every now and again, he would pick up the scales, and he would feel a warmth that did not belong to the Item. For just a brief moment, he would share in the sensation of warm desert sun on stronger arms than his, and feel the beating of a heart softer than his own. Ma'at would run stronger than ever in his veins, and he would feel disappointed once the moment was over.

The Items chose when and where to reveal secrets of the past to their owners. He did not know why the Item chose to give him such vague impressions and feelings. It annoyed him, actually, to know that a previous owner of the scales could have had so much..._feeling_ inside of him or her. The owner of the scales should be impartial. They should have no emotion, no matter what the circumstance. In order to judge fairly, one must discard all sentimentality.

But he couldn't help but feel, as he watched impassively as people died in the shadows of their own making, if he shouldn't feel just...a _little_ bit of something. There was such a coldness in his chest, that he would wish for that warmth, just for a moment.

Then he would let it go, and walk away back into the night, leaving such thoughts for weaker moments.

A/N: ...is Shadi gone yet? Okay, good. Next is Sailshipping (Ryouta x Mai).


	141. Sailshipping

_Sailshipping (Ryouta x Mai)_

Waves washed in and out, in and out, in and out. It was calming to Mai, but she didn't really want to be calm right now. Her head was spinning with the fact that Jonouchi, of all people, had just beaten her at Duel Monsters. It was infuriating! How could that noob of a duelist have figured out her Aroma Tactic and beaten her all at the same time? Ergh, it was just because Yugi had helped him! That was the only reason that twerp had beaten her!

The waves continued their lazy journey back and forth, unperturbed by the fact that every inch they went forward, they would have to return back. How could the waves be so content to go forward only to be pulled back? It just made Mai even angrier thinking about it.

"Oy," said a voice. "Hey, you all right?"

Mai blinked. There was a tan-skinned boy looked down at her, sopping wet and blinking. Despite being wet, his black hair was trapped in messy spikes, held up by his huge goggles that looked like they would serve no actual purpose.

Mai just glared at him, hoping he would get the message and go away. But he didn't. In fact, he plopped himself down next to her.

"The ocean's nice today, huh?" he said.

"Beautiful," Mai said sarcastically, and then decided not to be subtle about it. "Look, I'm not interested in stupid pick-up lines today, so please just get your fish-stench out of here."

They boy blinked in surprise, staring at her with wide eyes. Mai glared back at him, hoping that this time he would take the not-so-subtle hint. But to her dismay, he started to laugh. First it was just a suppressed chuckle, but it quickly grew into a rolling roar of laughter, clutching his stomach and everything.

"Geez, you don't waste time," he said, once he got a hold of himself. "I wasn't really trying to pick you up, but if you don't want my company, that's okay."

Mai stared at him. Really? Just like that? That had been easier than she thought.

He popped to his feet with a grin.

"You know, the ocean's really good for cutting stress," he said, winking. "Just try listening the waves for a while."

He dusted off his swim shorts.

"Well, I'm sailing out. Don't forget – listen to the waves and calm down a little!"

Then he turned and jogged away. Mai stared after him, surprised at how well he had taken her outburst. She felt a little embarrassed now. The loss had affected her more than she thought it would. Geez, she had to get a hold of herself. This was no way for an adult like herself to act.

She started to stand, but then hesitated.

The waves rolled in, rolled out. A reverberating, pleasant sound now that she thought about it. She settled back down onto the sand.

Then she took the boy's advice, and she listened to the waves.

A/N: I probably see Ryouta as a much more interesting character than he actually is. XD I just can't help it, he seems to have so much room for interpretation. Next is Saffronshipping (Marik x Jonouchi x Mai).


	142. Saffronshipping

_Saffronshipping (Marik x Jonouchi x Mai)_

_(I can't remember what order everyone came to the blimp during Battle City in...or even who they were grouped with...so I'mma gonna make it up :D)_

Marik sat perfectly still inside the stadium. It hadn't taken him long to acquire the necessary locator cards and find the blimp that would soon take them into the final rounds of Battle City. But he did not walk over to the blimp yet – he didn't want to be the first person here. He wanted to be able to observe all of the finalists from afar first...also, he wanted to make sure that Rishid would arrive last, so as to make a greater impression on everyone.

The smart click of heels against concrete echoed across the darkened stadium. The half light of the moon trickled down past sloping rows of seats and glimmered through saffron colored hair...

Marik started. Who was this? She had not been on his list of likely contenders for the finals.

She was an extremely curvy women, with an extra two inches from her heels adding to her already impressive height. Her features were clearly Asian, although her crimped hair was a startling blonde. She seemed to realize that she had curves to spare, and wore a revealing, purple, corset-style top. Marik flicked through all of the faces he had memorized and could not come up with a match for this woman. Either she stumbled in her by accident, or she was someone that he had missed or hadn't been labeled as a top contender.

She glanced back over her shoulder towards the entrance, an eyebrow raised.

"Jonouchi," she said. "Are you coming, or what?"

"Geez, ya don't have to pester me so much!"

To Marik's surprise, the blond-headed form of Jonouchi sauntered into the stadium. He was not on his list of contenders either, especially after the loss of his Red Eyes. How had he made it this far?

"Don't worry, little Jonouchi, I made sure there were no ghosts or monsters," the woman said, grinning. "So you don't have to cower behind me anymore."

"Wha – that's not why I'm behind you – your legs are so long it's hard to keep up! And I'm not scared of ghosts!"

"Oh really? Then what's that little glowing thing over your shoulder?"

With a wildly exaggerated motion, Jonouchi whipped around with a yelp. When he found that nothing was there and the woman was clamping a hand over her mouth to hide her laughter, he turned on her, red faced.

"K-Kujaku! That wasn't funny!"

The name rang a bell. Mai Kujaku, a semi-finalist of Duelist Kingdom. She hadn't been on his list of people to watch out for due to an unfortunate string of losses to lower-class duelists (like Jonouchi) during the said tournament.

"Actually, it was hilarious," Mai said. And then she let out a huge burst of laughter at Jonouchi's red face, shaking so hard that Marik could see tears glinting at her eyes.

"H-hey! Don't laugh! You're scared of things too, I'll bet!"

Marik's hand tightened on his Millennium Rod. He relaxed it irritably, knowing why he was getting upset. They seemed...really...friendly with each other. Who did he have to laugh with like that? No, stop – these thoughts had nothing to do with his goal. Once he had defeated the pharaoh, other things could follow. It didn't matter that he felt alone in the face of their laughter. It didn't matter. It didn't.

And so he continued to lie to himself, hoping that if he said it enough times, he could convince himself to believe it.

A/N: ...whatever. These are hard. Next is Safetyshipping (Yami no Bakura x Honda x Ryo). Sigh...and they're not getting any easier...


	143. Safetyshipping

_Safetyshipping (Yami no Bakura x Honda x Ryo)_

Sometimes, Ryo wanted to stay away from people. Other times, it was better to be surrounded by others. It was often hard to tell when and where he would find safety from his other half. He had never expected to find that sought-after space of serenity in the company of Hiroto Honda.

It was probably mostly because his Yami half couldn't see anything worth mentioning in Honda. The boy was awkward, a bit reckless, impulsive, a brainless street fighter, someone without enough wit to match even Jonouchi in gaming skills. Yami no Bakura just didn't see the point in revealing himself when Honda was around...in fact, he seemed to hate it. Judging by the glimpses of his other half's thoughts that Ryo caught, it was mostly because Yami no Bakura was "afraid that his stupidity would catch." Still, that didn't seem like a good enough reason to stay silent and far from Ryo's thoughts whenever Honda was around. Maybe it was Honda's blunt personality, or his straightforward approach to life. It was probably that barely suppressed idealism that kept Yami no Bakura away.

Ryo didn't really care to find out the reasons. He was just glad that there was someone out that that could provide barrier between him and the intrusive thoughts and presence of his dark half...even if it was only for a little while.

A/N: And when I have no ideas, I go for the shortest piece possible. :D Next is Rustshipping (TK Bakura x Yami no Marik x Ryo). Uh oh...poor Ryo... And oh! I'm finally done with the S's! 8D R's, here I come! (Revolutionshipping is on its way! :3 )


	144. Rustshipping

_Rustshipping (Yami no Marik x Thief King Bakura x Ryo)_

_(Ever wonder what was happening to Ryo after Yami no Bakura lost to Yami no Marik and got sent to the shadows?)_

Bakura was often bored. There was only so much he could do to while away the minutes in the cold, lonely ghost town of Kul Elna while he waited for the threads of his plans to come together. So when he found a spell that would allow him to spy on his future self, he jumped at the chance.

At first, he had been surprised at what he was seeing. This boy was not him. He was thin and fair-skinned, with clear green eyes and soft, effeminate features. The only thing that they shared was their white hair, and the boy's was much longer than Bakura's. He didn't even do anything interesting. All he did was wander around a cold, strange looking room and clean things that didn't need cleaning, occasionally tinkering around with some small figurines and going to a place with many tables and other people.

Eventually, though, Bakura had understood, when he chanced another peek at the future and saw violet eyes flicker across green and people collapsing in front of a game board. The boy wasn't him, in some sense...but he would become a part of him in the future. After that revelation, Bakura legitimately enjoyed watching the future. The boy was fascinating. There was this emptiness in his eyes, an invisible barrier that he created between himself and others. Most of all, it was the flash of fear every time someone collapsed, every time he realize that somehow he was to blame for this. Bakura savored those fleeting moments of terror. It amused him greatly to know that someday he would be the cause of that fear. He was greatly looking forward to tormenting this quiet boy with the soft, restrained smile.

With nothing else to do while he was waiting for the pharaoh to come and find him in the Millennium Chamber, Bakura cast his mind into the future again. He tried his best to find different moments each time, after accidentally watching the boy create the same dinner three times in a row. This time, the boy appeared to be hiding in a corner of a dark, metallic room. He was shivering, his head down against his curled up knees. A smoky shadow wafted around him, and with a start, Bakura realized that it was not a room at all – it was that realm of shadows in which his god came from. What was the boy doing there?

The shadows warped, shifted, solidified into a tall, wavering shadow. Tanned skin, spiked blond hair, prominent blood vessels, a long twitching black cape, and eyes as flat and evil as a devil. He grinned maliciously at the small form of the boy.

"Oh, poor Ryo," he said. "Caught up in someone else's power struggles, and now trapped here."

Ryo did not answer. There was a stiffening in his hands, but he didn't look up. Bakura frowned. What was this boy, and what was he doing to Ryo?

The tan-skinned boy knelt down to be at eye-level with Ryo.

"You know, I'm surprised that Bakura would have wanted to get stuck with a useless boy like you," he said, and a knife appeared in his hand, tracing down Ryo's arm. "He had a choice of host...but he chose you. You don't do anything at all, now do you? Even the pharaoh's host is somewhat helpful."

Again, Ryo did not answer. As if annoyed by the lack of a response, the tan-skinned boy's hand shot out, cracking against the side of Ryo's head. The boy hit the ground with a whump, his eyes widening with the shock.

"You're not much fun, are you?" the evil being hissed. "Here I thought I might have fun playing with you now that you were trapped in the shadows."

He grabbed Ryo by the hair and yanked up to his knees. The knife poked up into Ryo's chin, and this time, the fear was evident in Ryo's eyes. Still, though, he barely reacted. Despite the hint of tears in his eyes, he spit in the boy's face.

And by this time, Bakura had had enough.

He gathered the shadows around himself and stepped into the realm of his god – for time had no meaning here, and no matter where they had come from, they were in Bakura's domain now.

The tan-skinned boy glanced up, obviously shocked at Bakura's appearance.

"Put the boy down," Bakura said softly.

"Bakura?" the boy said. "No, you're not him. Similar though."

Bakura sent him a dark, threatening smile.

"I think I said to put the boy down. Why don't you comply?"

The boy's eyes narrowed to slits, as Ryo tried unsuccessfully to look behind him at his rescuer.

"What if I didn't?"

Bakura let his eyes fall half-closed. He considered his opponent for a long moment.

"Why do you even care?" the boy pressed. "You are Bakura, or something like him. What do you care about your host?"

As he spoke, he turned Ryo around and drew the knife closer to the boy's pale throat. Ryo didn't look any happier to see Bakura, and while Bakura greatly enjoyed the terror that he was causing in the boy, he was not pleased to see that most of the fear was generated by his opponent.

"Tormenting that boy is _my_ job," he said softly.

And the shadows exploded.

In barely half a second, the shadows had grabbed the tan-skinned boy, yanked him off of Ryo, and swallowed him up into the darkness. Ryo collapsed to the ground, and Bakura shifted, sensing the darkness around him. He hadn't gotten him, he thought irritably. The boy seemed to know enough of the shadows to escape before he had been consumed.

Ryo stared up at Bakura, his green eyes bright with fear, but his face schooled into a practiced blank look. Bakura sent him only the barest flicker of a smile.

"He won't bother you anymore," he said, turning with a flick of his cape.

_But I am certainly looking forward to my chance to play with you..._

And he returned to his own dimension with an echoing laugh.

A/N: ...yeah. Weird. But strangely I could see it happening. Next is Ruseshipping (Rishid x Marik).


	145. Ruseshipping

_Ruseshipping (Rishid x Marik)_

Marik stood with his back to Rishid. The boy's arms were folded tightly, and Rishid could see the tenseness in his muscles. Although Rishid could not see his face, he could tell what Marik was doing. He seemed to be staring at nothing, but in reality, he was visualizing. Contemplating all of the information they had recently gathered, meshing it together, tearing it apart again, considering every possible exit, entrance, camera, and lock in the whole of the museum, moving and placing people mentally like it was a giant chessboard.

Rishid knew that when Marik got like this, there was no breaking him from his trance. And when he came out of it again, he would know the exact when, where, and how of their stealing the god card.

Rishid leaned back in his own chair, studying the faraway rafters of the warehouse, listening to the rain pound against the metal roof. If not for the rain, he might have thought that he was back in the catacombs again.

_"Marik? What are you doing?"_

_"Leaving."_

_"But Marik –"_

_"Don't try and stop me Rishid! That is an order, do you understand!"_

_"...I wasn't...going to..."_

_"...? You...weren't?"_

_"No."_

_…_

_"Rishid, will you come with me?"_

_"Yes, Marik. Where ever you go."_

Had it really been six years since that day? Since the day he and Marik had left everything and everyone they ever knew behind and stepped out into the light?

It doesn't seem very light now, Rishid thought wryly. Even in a world with sun, the clouds will eventually create a ceiling.

He looked again at the stone statue of Marik. He could almost see the plans forming in the air above his head. Marik had...changed a lot since they got to the surface. He was taller, broader, stronger. There was more stone in his gaze and flint in his words. The edge of his mind had been sharpened on the whetstone of the cruel world they found themselves in. Despite seeing it with his own eyes, Rishid could still not believe seeing how easily the younger Marik had outsmarted the legendary underworld leader of a small crime organization, and then nurtured it until Marik controlled areas all across the world.

He was a strong, intelligent boy. But...something was missing in him. Rishid knew. Just the barest flicker of joy that used to shine in his eyes...that had been squelched.

Rishid's thoughts stopped in their tracks as Marik whipped around to face him, those flint hard eyes alight with the flames of decision.

"This won't be difficult," he said, returning to the table and sitting down across from Rishid. "We'll have the god card within a week."

Rishid nodded silently. He did not ask questions. That was not his job – Marik would tell him what he needed to know.

Marik peered at Rishid with narrow eyes.

"You don't seem very enthusiastic," he said. "Are you in on this, or not?"

Rishid inclined his head.

"I'm always coming with you, if that's what you're asking," he said softly.

Marik's expression did not change. He watched Rishid for a long moment. In that moment, it seemed like more than the table was separating them. The silence of memories, some that should be forgotten and some that should not, weighed between them like a curtain.

Rishid nodded again to Marik.

"Tell me when we are ready to leave, and where," he said.

Then he stood up, and walked silently away. Marik watched him go, and as the tall man disappeared, the mask slipped from the young boy's face. He slid down to rest his face in his hands.

"What am I doing?" he whispered to the silence.

He knew that Rishid was listening – hoped that he was, even. Because only in brief moments of weakness, when he pretended that he thought no one was looking, could he ever show his true feelings.

All he had wanted in that moment was for Rishid to look at him. It was his fault that Rishid wouldn't meet his eyes. He knew that. But...for a moment...

He just wanted Rishid to meet his eyes, like they used to, when they had been real brothers.

But it was own fault. He had created this barrier.

In the silence, two sets of wishes were unspoken. And two invisible pairs of hands built their walls a little bit higher.

A/N: Marik and Rishid's relationship is so sad. :'( The Ishtars are my favorite; I love delving into the states of their minds and their thought processes. There's so much feeling in there. Next is Ruffleshipping (Pegasus x Otogi x Mokuba).


	146. Ruffleshipping

_Ruffleshipping (Pegasus x Otogi x Mokuba)_

"What is this?"

Otogi glanced up from the counter. Mokuba was hanging from the counter, kicking his legs back and forth as he stared at a small object next to the cash register. The young Kaiba boy had been coming over lately, ever since he had wandered in and played Capsule Monsters with Otogi. Otogi rather liked the company; otherwise, the slow times of the day were deathly boring.

"That?" he said, following Mokuba's gaze.

It was a picture frame. It was the only picture in the store; he didn't have any left of his father. But he had this one: a photograph of himself on the day he met Pegasus. Otogi smiled slightly, and reached for the frame.

"Oh, that's the day I met Pegasus," he said.

"It's not photoshopped?"

"Please, Mokuba-san. Do you really think I'd photoshop myself into a photo of Pegasus?"

Mokuba shrugged, still hanging off of the counter.

"Pegasus looks as cheery as usual," he said after a pause. "Do you like Pegasus?"

There was something about the way he said it that made Otogi pause.

"Why? Are you jealous?"

Mokuba flushed, and his eyes sparked with almost anger.

"That's not it at all!" he said.

He dropped down from the counter with a loud thump. His dark eyes glared up at Otogi. Otogi blinked – he hadn't expected such fury out of Mokuba.

"I'm sorry," he said, setting the frame down. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes, something's wrong," Mokuba muttered. "You obviously think that Pegasus was the best thing since sliced bread. I can tell."

"And you don't think he is?"

Otogi couldn't understand it. He had always admired Pegasus for his sharp gamer's mind and talent for business. Pegasus had been the ideal he had always striven for while he was designing his own game, Dungeon Dice Monsters. The day he had been able to meet Pegasus had been one of the greatest days of his life – he had even gotten to show some of Dungeon Dice Monsters to Pegasus, and Pegasus had told him that he was well on his way to becoming a successful game designer!

But there was something in the flash of Mokuba's eyes that told Otogi that something deeper was going on.

"Have you...met Pegasus?" he asked slowly.

Mokuba scowled.

"'Met' is too soft of a word," he said. "He kidnapped me."

"What?"

Otogi stared at him.

"What, don't believe me?" Mokuba said. "Yeah, that's right. Your idol wanted KaibaCorp. While my big brother was still in his coma, he kidnapped me to get the key to the Kaiba safe. I was stuck in his stupid castle for weeks until Yugi helped me escape. And here you are, idolizing a kidnapper and a thief!"

Otogi's eyes grew wider and wider the longer Mokuba talked. Could this be true? Could Pegasus really have done all of that? It didn't seem possible. No, it couldn't be true – but why would Mokuba lie?

"Mokuba-san..." Otogi stared. He swallowed past the dryness of his throat. "I..."

"That was one of the greatest mistakes of my life..."

Both boys jumped so wildly that Mokuba's hand struck the counter and the picture frame fell flat. They looked around trying to see the owner of the voice.

But there was nothing. They could see no one. Otogi and Mokuba looked at each other, dark eyes to green.

"Did you...hear that?" Otogi asked.

"Yeah," Mokuba said.

"It sounded like..."

"Pegasus."

They stared at each other for another long moment.

Then, silently, they turned away from each other, pondering what had just happened. Neither of them saw the silent spirit hovering behind them. He looked sadly at the two of them for a moment: one, a boy filled with dreams whom he had met only once, someone who had inspired him with his youth and exuberance, whose dreams he had tried to keep alive. The other, a young boy who had become trapped in power struggles that shouldn't have concerned him, through no fault of his own, someone that he had involved for selfish reasons.

Pegasus J. Crawford sighed softly, so as not to startle the boys.

"I'm sorry," he said, and he watched at the two looked around wildly again for the owner of the voice.

Then he turned away and disappeared.

A/N: :'( That was kind of sad. Next is Rougeshipping (Pegasus x Siegfried).


	147. Rougeshipping

_Rougeshipping (Pegasus x Siegfried)_

Siegfried didn't have what it took to be partners with Industrial Illusions. At least, that's what Pegasus thought.

He laced his fingers together and rested him chin on them, looking down the table at the young, light-haired boy. Siegfried von Schroeder was no older than Seto Kaiba. He, too, was the CEO of a large company at a young age, a prodigy by anyone's standards, ruthless and sharp in his business dealings, and obsessed with being the best. He controlled a large, promising gaming company, and showed great potential to grow.

But what was it about him that Pegasus didn't like...?

That was it. That was what was missing. Siegfried didn't care about besting himself, or making his company strong. All he wanted was for his company to be better than Seto's. Seto Kaiba didn't have that feeling dragging him down. He wanted to be better than Yugi, but that did not affect his company.

Siegfried was missing what was important...so caught up in his hatred of Seto that he would never fully grow.

Siegfried had never liked Pegasus. Siegfried's own business parties and grandeur paled in comparison to the wild shows of opulence Pegasus liked to put on. Really, a castle in the middle of an island? What _was_ he thinking? And all the wild games he put on just to sell a simple project deal – preposterous.

His hands tightened on his suitcase under the table as he stared down at Pegasus' only visible eye. What was he hiding behind those bangs? It unnerved him, like something was staring into his soul.

But he hardened himself against it, against the pointless mystery and intrigue that Pegasus wrapped around himself to make himself appear more intimidating, against the various, hand-created paintings around the meeting room that all seemed to stare down at him. Pegasus was a means to an end. He had to go through this route, make this deal, if he ever wanted to beat Kaiba. It had to be done.

It had to.

A/N: I don't really like Siegfried. I'm not good at working with him; I don't understand his personality. So yeah, this one fell a little flat. Next is Roseshipping (Pegasus x Cyndia).


	148. Roseshipping

_Roseshipping (Pegasus x Cyndia)_

"Hold still, Cyndi! I can't get your hair right if you keep moving!"

"I'm trying, I'm trying! My foot is asleep!"

Laughter colored her tones, shaking her shoulders as Pegasus tried again to figure out how to draw the hair laying down her back. He glanced up from his sketchbook to look at his beautiful model. Her blue eyes stared out into the distance as she held the relaxed pose for his half-finished portrait. Her golden hair shifted with the breeze. Sticking out his tongue in concentration, Pegasus lay in a few more pencil strokes to get the hint of wind in his portrait.

"Aren't you done yet?" Cyndia asked, looking at him from the corner of her sparkling, smiling eyes. "Come on, Peggy, I've been sitting here for almost an hour already!"

Pegasus grinned and sketched in the last few lines.

"There," he said, turning the sketchbook to face her. "Done. What do you think?"

Cyndia shifted out of her pose and reached eagerly for the sketchbook. He let her take it, their fingers brushing together as it switched hands. While Cyndia looked gently down at the drawing, Pegasus' eyes were drawn to his model herself. Everything about her was beautiful and perfect. The soft curves of her face, the wrinkles around her eyes when she smiled, her dimples and soft golden ahir, the delicate fingers that traced the page...

His hand dug into the grass, and he swallowed, remembering all of his carefully rehearsed words.

Cyndia sighed and set the sketchbook down in her lap, folding her hands on top of it.

"Perfect, as always, Pegasus," she said. "You're so good. You can even make me look beautiful."

Pegasus took in a breath. Then he reached over and layed his hand on hers.

"An artist only draws what he sees," he said. "You are beautiful, Cyndia."

A pleased shudder when through her at the touching of their hands, and she turned hers over to entwine with his. The breeze blew about them, bringing with it petals and the scent of roses from the gardens below. Suddenly, in the face of her beautiful, expectant expression, he forgot all of the words he had planned, everything. But then he felt the small bulge in his pocket, saw her gentle, waiting eyes, and he had the courage to continue.

"Cyndia...we've known each other for...years," he said. "I...I didn't just ask you up here so I could draw you again."

He hesitated, but she was calm and waiting.

"Cyndia...I...I love you," he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box.

As he spoke, he popped open the box to reveal the small, delicate silver ring. Cyndia drew in a breath.

"Oh, Peggy," she said.

"Cyndia, will you marry me?"

Cyndia barely hesitated. She threw her arms around him with a cry of delight, and they both fell over, laughing, into the grass.

"Yes!" she said. "Yes, yes, yes!"

All of the weight on Pegasus' soul flew off, and he hugged her back. They lay on the grass together, still laughing against each other.

"I love you Cyndia," he said.

"We'll be together forever," she said.

Neither of them doubted it.

But it was a lie anyway.

A/N: Poor Pegasus and Cyndia. They must have been so cute together. Next is Rodshipping (Marik x Priest Set).


	149. Rodshipping

_Rodshipping (Marik x Priest Set)_

There was always something about the Millennium Rod that felt strange. It wasn't even because it was an ancient, magical artifact with the power to control people's minds. No, it had something to do with how he felt whenever he held its cool, metallic weight in his palm, the slight burst of heat that flooded through the metal like it was alive.

It was like...what? Marik couldn't quite place it. But whenever he used it, whenever he broke through a mind and closed up the boxes that would make that mind his to control, he would catch the hint of something else. Something...broken. Something searching.

It took him a long time, but he soon realized that the feeling would spark in him every time he thought about the pharaoh. Every time a thought of hatred passed through him, steeling himself against the task before him, he would feel it. A quiet, sad sigh, the sound of someone who had lost someone dear to him.

Was it the mind of the Millennium Rod? The previous owner? Marik never understood. But, for some reason, every time he used the magic, he would feel almost guilty. Like he wasn't supposed to use this power against the pharaoh. But those were not his feelings, and he would shove them aside.

Still...

It hurt, in those moments at night, when he would feel it most prominently. And sometimes, at the edge of sleep, he would catch a glimpse of long forgotten words, feelings embedded into the metal of the Millennium Rod by a long-gone spirit.

_Pharaoh, I will wait for you...my friend..._

They were not his feelings. They were the opposite of his.

But they hurt anyways.

A/N: Yeah. Uh-huh. Next is Rivetshipping (Keith x Pegasus x Rishid).


	150. Rivetshipping

_Rivetshipping (Keith x Pegasus x Rishid)_

Pegasus noticed him first. Keith probably never would have if it hadn't been for the slight movement of Pegasus' visible eye towards the shadows. "Bandit" Keith didn't have an eye for suspicion; his thoughts were completely on the upcoming match between him and Pegasus, about to be broadcast on national TV.

But Pegasus noticed things. That was the blessing and curse of the Millennium Eye. So he saw the man standing in the shadows, tall and clad in a dark cloak, his face hidden by a cowl. Pegasus considered ignoring him, and waiting to see what he would do. But that would be absolutely no fun at all, and he still had about thirty minutes before the match was to take place. It might be interesting to see how the man would react if he approached him.

So Pegasus plastered on a large smile and sauntered over to the man. Keith jerked up at the motion, glaring in Pegasus general direction.

"Hey," he said. "Where are you going?"

Pegasus ignored him. The blockhead wouldn't see a thing in the dark of the backstage, especially with his sunglasses. He'd have to come over to see what was going on.

The cloaked man shifted slightly as Pegasus walked over – it was slight, but Pegasus knew the man was surprised at the gesture.

"Hello, there," he said, smiling broadly. "How might I help you, young man? What brings you in here, hm?"

He was tall, and that cloak would be very conspicuous. It was hard to believe he had gotten past security. Keith slouched over.

"Hey, what's the big idea – huh?"

He slid his glasses down to look over them.

"Who's this guy? Security?"

Pegasus' smile faltered just a bit. He really, really wanted Keith to go away and shut up, but he couldn't force that without using the Millennium Eye, which he was loathe to do in front of an audience. So he decided to ignore him, and turned his attention towards the tall man.

"Well, don't be shy, speak up," Pegasus said.

The man shifted again.

"I was hoping to speak with you when you were alone," the man said, his voice deep and almost musical.

Pegasus blinked. So, he was waiting for him. But why?

"Oh, don't worry about him," Pegasus said, waving a hand. "Keith isn't worth much anyway; he won't remember a thing."

Keith bristled.

"Leave it for the field, old man," he growled. "Or I'll punch you now."

But now both men appeared to be ignoring him. The tall man hesitated. Then he pushed off the cowl of his cloak. Dark eyes looked out from under heavy brows. His head was shaved but for a single ponytail of black hair. Hieroglyphics decorated an entire side of his face – but these were no tattoos. These were healed scars.

Pegasus couldn't help but shudder at the sight. So...he was one of _them._

"What do you want?"

Now he was on his guard, the fake smile falling away, single eye meeting dark gaze squarely.

"I don't mean any harm," the man said. "I am not technically here with permission. I had heard that you created the god cards...and you gave them away."

"Indeed."

"God cards?" Keith said, his curiosity obviously peaked.

Again, he was ignored. But the idea seemed to interest Keith, so he stayed quiet and riveted to the conversation.

"I'm not interested in the cards," the tall man said. "You needn't worry yourself on that account."

"Then what are you interested in?"

"The person you gave them to."

Pegasus's eyes half-closed, watching the man with an expression of sarcastic disbelief.

"Not interested in the cards, are you? Then why do you want to know who I gave them to?"

"She was Ishizu Ishtar, wasn't she?"

The force behind those words was unlike anything Pegasus had heard before. Was that...concern that he was hearing in the man's voice? Pegasus shifted just a bit, so that his Millennium Eye could peek through his bangs. He meant only to glance in the man's mind, to check that he had no evil intent...and he was shocked when he was almost easily deflected. He hadn't caught a single glimpse – the man hadn't even been trying, either. Pegasus doubted the man had even realized the attempt. His mind was so strong that Pegasus could not breach it.

Pegasus drew back to himself so that the carelessly strewn thoughts of Bandit Keith would not distract him. Really, that man, letting his thoughts scatter around for all to see. Pegasus had seen children with more mental protection.

"Why is this...Ishizu...important?"

The tall man hesitated.

"I just...want to make sure...she's all right."

Silence grew in the shadows. Keith was starting to shift, obviously annoyed by the turn in conversation. He wanted to know more about the God Cards...really, he was easy to read even without a Millennium Eye. And he was starting to get annoying.

Pegasus returned his attention to the stranger. Although his face was hard and guarded, Pegasus had always been good at seeing the tiny details – he had been an artist in his early years, after all. And there was the barest spark of apprehension and hope in this man's eyes.

Pegasus relaxed.

"Ishizu Ishtar? I have no idea," he said aloud, to send Keith's eyes rolling and his broad-shouldered form to slouch off. As soon as the uninterested Keith was turned away, and his attention was too, Pegasus reached into a pocket and pulled out a small slip of paper.

"I truly am sorry that I can't help you," he said, loud enough for Keith to hear. This tall man, however, was sharp. He seemed to understand Pegasus' ruse to keep the other man out of the loop. So when Pegasus handed him a slip of paper with a phone number scrawled on it – he could still remember by heart the number of that woman; he had spent many restless hours wondering whether he should call and tell her never mind – he smiled slightly, gratefully.

"Thank you anyways," he said, pocketing the paper.

Pegasus' lips twitched into part of a smile.

"Good luck," he said, and turned away.

A/N: ….. Next is Rivalshipping (Yugi x Seto).


	151. Rivalshipping

_Rivalshipping (Yugi x Seto)_

Yugi was all that was left. As far as Seto was concerned, anyway. Yugi was the only left who had been there from day one of Seto's slow recovery from the darkness in his heart.

And Seto hated him for it.

The red-eyed Yugi was gone, disappeared into that light that could not, _should not_ have been real, leaving the violet-eyed Yugi behind. And now, every time Seto closed his eyes, he would see those violet-eyes bubbling over, the tears barely restrained by sheer will alone, as he watched the red-eyed Yugi – Seto's one and only true match – disappear. It brought a scowl to Seto's face that bothered him.

The red-eyed Yugi had been the only worthy opponent for him. He was the only one strong enough, determined enough, strategic enough, just plain _tough _enough to face Seto. A far cry from the other Yugi, whose bleeding heart got him into more trouble than not in a game. There were no others, now, that Seto could face. He had sulked in the realization of this almost since the other Yugi had vanished, almost two months ago.

So why was he standing in front of the Kame Game Shop?

He had been standing outside the door, his hand hovering over the handle, for the better part of fifteen minutes. He knew there were people across the street staring at him, wondering what the distinctive white-coated figure of Seto Kaiba was doing in this part of Domino City. He scowled at himself, and then gripped the handle and pushed inside the dark, dusty shop. It was better than being stared at like some exhibit in a zoo.

It was just as he remembered, that far away day when he had stormed in and demanded the Blue Eyes White Dragon from Yugi's grandpa. It seemed so much farther away, almost like a dream to him. Well, it had been some time before the red-eyed Yugi literally shattered his heart into tiny pieces. A lot of things between his childhood and that day were blurred and strange to him now, like they were the memories of a stranger.

"Hello, welcome to Kame Game Shop...oh, Kaiba-kun? What are you doing here?"

Seto almost hadn't recognized the voice. It was...deeper, than he remembered. But there he was, the violet eyes blinking at him from across the dusty space. Seto's hands clenched into tight fists, and he wondered again what he _was_ doing here. He opened his mouth to make some degrading remark about the state of the shop. But then he looked at Yugi Mutou. Really looked at him.

Even from the other side of the shop, Seto could tell that the boy had gotten taller. Had it only been two months since he had seen the barely five foot teenager? He looked almost as tall as Seto now. The lines of Yugi's face has begun to sharpen, the soft, baby features that had annoyed Seto so much beginning to fade. Even his shoulders looked somewhat broader. Had Yugi grown up so much in just two months?

"Kaiba-kun?" Yugi said again, prompting Seto out of his shocked silence. "You okay?"

"Fine," Kaiba said through gritted teeth.

He made a show of glancing disgustedly around the room, but really, he was just trying to avoid Yugi's eyes. The only thing familiar about him were those round, violet eyes, and it was unnerving seeing them look out of a face that didn't seem quite right.

"This is about him, right? The other me?"

Seto started, shocked by the assumption. He met Yugi's eyes again, and found the young boy smiled ruefully.

"I thought so. I miss him too."

Seto tensed up.

"Miss him? I don't miss him," he snapped.

Yugi laughed slightly, leaning his arms across the counter. It was the only thing not covered in dust in the whole room.

"You can keep telling yourself that," Yugi said. "But despite everything, you saw him as something of a friend, too. He felt the same way."

"We weren't friends," Seto snapped.

Yugi kept smiling.

"He thought so," he said softly.

Seto deflated slightly. He was annoyed with himself for the small gesture, but he couldn't help himself.

"Did...did he?" he said. "How do you know?"

Yugi shrugged.

"I was connected to him in a way that you can't imagine, Kaiba-kun," Yugi said. "Neither of us could really feel anything without the other knowing about it. He really, really respected you, Kaiba."

Yugi laughed slightly.

"Although, he got pretty annoyed with you a lot. Something about your obsession with defeating him getting redundant."

This made Seto bristle slightly, and he felt better because of it. More like his old self again.

"Oh really? Because I found him and his unity and magic speeches pretty annoying myself."

Yugi smiled mischievously at that comment, and Seto scowled back. They maintained that position for a while. Seto took the moment to search Yugi's eyes. To be honest, he didn't know that much about this Yugi. He had always focused on the other one. All he knew about the violet-eyed Yugi was that he was an annoyingly kind and sacrificial boy, had terrible grades in school, was almost on par with him in gaming, and would do anything for his friends. Suddenly and strangely, Seto wondered if he fell into that feeling, too.

He shook his head firmly, shoving the feelings away. Instead, he focused on what he had seen in Yugi's eyes: a weariness and loneliness only thinly masked with cheerfulness. Seto had never really been able to come to terms with the idea of two entirely separate Yugis, preferring to think of them as, say, two halves of the same coin, but still one person. But if they really had been two Yugis...this Yugi must be...missing something now...

Seto scowled at himself. He hated feeling sentimental.

"Yugi. Duel me."

"Huh?"

"Duel me. Right now."

"Wha...? Oh, okay...my Duel Disk is upstairs though..."

"Forget the Disks."

Seto stalked over to the table and pulled his cards from his coat pocket starting to shuffle them.

"Kaiba-kun?" Yugi said, looking at him as though he wasn't quite sure if he had heard him correctly.

Seto sent him a glare. He smacked his own deck against the counter.

"You heard me; forget the Disks. We'll do this the old fashioned way."

Yugi blinked at him for a moment, frozen in place. Seto blew out in irritation.

"Are you going to make me wait all day? The other Yugi beat me, and you beat him. That means you're the world champion now. If I want my title back, I have to beat you. Now get your pathetic deck and starting dueling."

Yugi stared only a second longer. Then a brief smile played across his lips, and he reached under the counter for a deck of Duel Monsters cards. He continued to smile as he shuffled his cards.

"What's so funny?" Seto snapped.

Yugi shrugged, and put his own cards on the counter between them.

"Nothing. It's just good to hear my rival acting like his old self again."

Seto glared at him, and reached for the top five cards of his deck. But as the cards slid into his hands, and he glanced up to judge Yugi's expression, a strange thrill of excitement fled through him. He, too, let a small smile show through for a moment.

Yugi...it was true, then, he guessed. All this time, Yugi had been his only rival...because only one of them could ever beat the other Yugi...

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this one. Seto and Yugi's personalities just bounce off each other so nicely. I suppose that's why they work so well in the original series. Next is Ripshipping (Thief King Bakura x Ishizu).


	152. Ripshipping

_Ripshipping (Ishizu x Thief King Bakura)_

Ishizu knew she really wasn't supposed to be using the Millennium Tauk so much, but she just couldn't help herself. She had to keep reassuring herself that things were going the way they were supposed to. If they weren't, she might never see her brothers again.

Sometimes though, the constant staring into the future would start to hurt her head. She would lose concentration, her eyes would slip, and she would find herself staring at the past instead. She never meant to do it – in fact, she was pretty sure that the Millennium Tauk wasn't supposed to see the past. But the dizziness caused by the strain on her magic drew her eyes from what could happen to what had already happened…and for some reason, it soothed her aching brain.

Until she found herself watching a dark eyed, white haired young man from afar…and he turned around and met her gaze.

Ishizu barely had time to gasp before the air around her ripped with a sickening sound, and the man's tanned hand shot out. He grabbed her shoulder and Ishizu went flying towards the ground. Shock and terror fled through her as she realized that the sand felt as real as anything – somehow, this man had reached through time!

"Well, well, well, I thought someone was spying on me."

A rough hand grabbed her shoulder again and rolled her over. She struck out automatically, catching the scarred face on the jaw. He jerked back, and then Ishizu was on her feet. She watched warily as the man recovered.

"Well," he said, touching his lip gingerly. She had managed to split it in her attack. "You have bite, little cobra."

Ishizu drew in a breath. She wet her dry lips. Who was he? His dark violet eyes considered her with a cunning interest.

"You look very much like Isis," the man said softly. "You even have the Tauk. But you are not Isis, are you? Isis would have never let me sense her."

Isis? Who was Isis? It was similar to her own name; in fact, her name was based off of that name, the goddess of magic. It came to her slowly. She was in the past, and she had an ancient counterpart – she had seen the woman once or twice. This man knew her counterpart somehow.

And judging by the gleeful malice in his eyes, it was not a healthy relationship.

"Fascinating," he said, stepping towards her like a jackal towards its prey. "You are from the future…so…what to do with you now…?"

Ishizu tensed. They stared each other down for a brief moment, made longer by the fast working minds of the opponents.

The boy moved first. Desert sunlight glinted off of metal. Ishizu only barely twirled out of the way of a knife aimed for her side. The thick folds of her dress were thankfully flowing enough to allow her maximum movement, so she didn't trip over the hem in the attack.

But the knife attack only seemed to have served as a distraction. Instantly, the air was thick with magic. It was so heavy that Ishizu could feel herself starting to lose consciousness already. But shock and fear brought her to her senses – what would the boy do to her when she was unconscious?

With a massive effort, she flung the magic of the Millennium Tauk before her. Instantly, the past and future magics exploded around each other. Her ears rang with the screech of the opposing magics. Her eyes snapped shut at the light.

And when she opened them again, she was sitting in her dark, cold, empty apartment again.

It might have been a dream except for the continued ringing of her ears...

A/N: Ah, Bakura, you're not very good at making friends, are you? No, every time you meet a new person, you have to try and stab them *insert Forever Alone face here* Next is Ringshipping (Thief King Bakura x Mahad). Another TKB one, he seems to be on here a lot...at least this one takes place all in the same time plane.


	153. Ringshipping

_Ringshipping (Thief King Bakura x Mahad)_

_(Bakura's thoughts are the ones in italics, Mahad's are the regular font…)_

The Millennium Ring had always felt...off, somehow. It was something in the way that its magic sat in my stomach. A feeling that I couldn't place. Like…like it was never mine.

_That power was mine. My god had promised it to me; it was the one Item that he had been able to work through. But its darkness had been tainted by the quiet, unassuming nobility of that man…_

That feeling worried me for a long time. Did the others feel the same way about their items? Was it simply because it was a foreign magic that I had to get used to?

_I would take it from him. He would be my first victim...his would be the first blood to stain the stones, and the other guardians would fall after him._

I learned to cope with the strangeness. I incorporated the Ring's magic with my own. Soon, that disconnect between me and it seemed to start to disappear. I could feel it becoming one with my own magic, and it was a calming feeling.

_I could barely contain the anticipation, when I finally appeared before the pharaoh and lay eyes on the man who had stolen my right. I had only to wait for him to make a mistake...and then I would be taking the Ring from his cold, dead body..._

I was confident in myself. I had been called the greatest of all magicians, and I had proved it many times in my service to the pharaoh. I had tamed the Ring, and its power was mine to command. I would defeat this threat called Bakura and protect the pharaoh. The tomb robber called the Ring his, but it was mine.

_I had no idea he would act so quickly and rashly. To take me alone – he was more foolish than I had reckoned. I had to admire his courage. But my own anticipation blocked most of that out. The Ring was nearly mine. The foolish magician was just ripe for the killing..._

I underestimated him. I should not have thought to take him alone. But I didn't want anyone else to get hurt...both my protectiveness and my pride had blinded me. If he won, he would take the Ring, and he would use it to kill the people I loved. One or both of us was going to die here, in this tomb...and I was determined to make sure I brought him down with me.

_What a fool he was! He thought to destroy me by sacrificing himself in the process. But I love those fools the best – they are always the easiest to kill. And I did kill him. Although he brought the tomb down around us, my knife found his heart. And I took great pleasure in watching the life drain from his eyes, as he groped in vain for the Ring as I ripped it from his neck..._

_Because_ that_ power_ was _never_ his _to _own...

A/N: I read a very steamy Mahad x TKB romance in preparation to write this one and found that...it didn't work. Well, at least, for me it didn't. I can't see these two as having any romantic feelings for each other. They are simply soldiers on opposite sides, with opposite goals, and they happen to stand in each others' way. Next is Riftshipping (Thief King Bakura x Ryo x Yugi).


	154. Riftshipping

_Riftshipping (Thief King Bakura x Ryo x Yugi)_

Ryo had always felt as though there were a rift between him and others. Ever since the death of his mother and sister, ever since his friends started to fall into comas all around him, it was like he was on an island, surrounded by great chasms on all sides, with no hope of reaching out or being reached out to.

He started to grow used to it. Life was cold, lonely, and dismal. _He_ was cold, lonely, and dismal. Even if people could have reached across the rift to him, there was no reason to. He was not the type of person that anyone would want to be around for long.

And if life was bad, his dreams were worse. Every night he was lost in a world of heat and sand, one where he did not belong and yet he did. The man there, like his darker self but different, chased and tormented him. He sometimes couldn't tell if the dreams were real or just simply dreams. That scarred, tan-skinned man with the sneer certainly seemed real.

_You're worthless_, he would whisper in Ryo's restless sleep. _Alone. All you have is me. And you are mine. Your life is mine._

And he would emphasize the sentiment with a flick of his knife. Waking up was the only way to escape the pain, but the waking world held no comfort either. Ryo was alone on the rift, except for the man in his dreams that laughed as he suffered. There was no escaping. There was no crossing the rift.

Until...well, until Yugi.

A light broke through the darkness of Ryo's life. In his dreams, the scarred man started to become less cocky, less arrogant, but more violent towards Ryo. Ryo would struggle for wakefulness, because even his dead life was better than this. He didn't know why. He had conquered his dark half with Yugi's help during Monster World. Why was the scarred man even there anymore? He should be gone forever, the Ring no longer about Ryo's neck to draw him in. Would he suffer this man's torments forever?

"Bakura-kun, you want to come over?"

That voice flung out like a lifeline. Despite Ryo's gloominess, despite the darkness that surrounded him, Yugi reached out a hand. He smiled, violet eyes bright and cheerful.

"What's wrong, Bakura-kun? You look down."

No one else ever noticed. The scarred man increased his whisperings, trying to drag Ryo down again.

_You're worthless! You're nothing! Your only purpose is to be a host!_

"...Mutou-kun...why...why do you want to hang out with me? I...I'm not much fun to be around..."

"What are you talking about, Bakura-kun? You're my friend, of course I want to hang out with you!"

Yugi pushed a bridge across the rift. Ryo could see a way across the chasm, and Yugi was waiting on the other side, waving with a cheery smile.

_No! You are worthless!_

"But, Mutou-kun...I'm not worth much as a friend..."

"Bakura-kun, you're so weird! Of course you're worth something. And how many times do I have to tell you: you can call me Yugi!"

Ryo took a tentative step onto that bridge. The scarred man reached out and tried to grab him. He tried to pull him back into the darkness, out of Yugi's light. With a furious cry, the man snatched at Ryo.

"Come on, Bakura-kun! You can't go home and mope alone all the time. You're coming over to play games whether you like it or not!"

The man missed. Yugi gripped Bakura's hand, and pulled him back onto solid ground.

Ryo was free.

"O-okay, Yugi," he said. "Um...you can call me...Ryo, if you want."

"Sure, Ryo-kun. Come on, let's go!"

A/N: I liked that a lot more than I thought I would. I might start shipping Ryo and Yugi. :) Next is Riddleshipping (Mei x Kyuu x Yami no Yugi).


	155. Riddleshipping

_Riddleshipping (Mei x Kyuu x Yami no Yugi)_

Mei and Kyuu prided themselves on being able to confuse all opponents. Few could ever get past their rhyming talk to focus on the match at hand. And even if they could, the brothers were good at blinding them with twisted words and riddled prose. It was near impossible to understand a word of what they were saying, especially when they broke into their vast supply of real riddles to make minds spin. Speech was their weapon, and it had never failed them.

So let the so-called King of Games, the conqueror of legendary Seto Kaiba come against them. They would make his mind spin until he did not know which was was up or down.

He couldn't help but smile at their woeful attempts at weaving words. He had seen children with more confusing riddles. Well, maybe not; Jonouchi appeared confused, anyway. But Yami no Yugi was not worried. He had never been worried. If speech was their best weapon, then once the mind battle was won, the real battle would quickly follow.

And Yami no Yugi had never lost a mind battle.

Let the riddles commence, because the brothers had no idea what they were up against...

A/N: Mm-hm. I don't really care about Mei or Kyuu. In fact, I care so little about them that I don't even hate them. They don't even figure on my list of significant Yu-Gi-Oh characters, so they don't have a ranking at all in my favorites-least favorites spectrum. That's probably why I have so much trouble writing about them. Next is Ribbonshipping (Honda x Otogi x Miho).


	156. Ribbonshipping

_Ribbonshipping (Miho x Honda x Otogi)_

Looking at her did things to his stomach that he didn't understand. It was like something was doing cartwheels in his chest – it was a weird, ticklish feeling that brought heat to his cheeks.

_Get over yourself_, Honda thought angrily to himself.

He ducked his eyes to his desk, pretending that he was listening to his friends laugh and chat about who knows what. It was better than staring across the room at her.

But inevitably, his eyes drifted up from the table to where Miho Nohsaka, aka Ribbon-chan, was sitting with her friends. She was laughing about something, her shoulders shaking as one hand came up to her mouth. More heat rushed to his face, and he was glad that his friends weren't looking at him at the moment. She was just...so pretty. Her lavender hair pulled back with a silky yellow ribbon, her violet eyes sparkling with laughter...

_No, no, no, she already turned you down. There's no point in thinking about her anymore! Come on, Hiroto, don't be creepy!_

He looked pointedly away from her to respond to something Jonouchi was saying. That response turned into the pair of them trying to headlock each other, and for a moment, Honda could forget about the closeness of his crush.

Then girlish squeals brought his and his friends attention over to the group anyway. Honda groaned softly. Ryuji Otogi was sauntering over to them, flipping his overly styled black ponytail over his shoulder and winking his too green eyes at the girls. Nearly all of Miho's friends were blushing so hard they looked like they were going to faint.

"Morning, ladies," Otogi said.

"H-hey, Otogi-kun," one girl giggled.

"How are you today?"

Otogi smiled and took the girl's hands in his own.

"I'm just wonderful – how could I not be when I'm looking at such pretty faces?"

The girl whose hands he was holding went so red that she looked like she had a fever. When he let go and went to talk to another girl, the first girl swooned into her chair. He continued to spread his charm around, playing with girl's hair, talking sweet nothings, and stealing the occasional hair accessory, after which he would pretend to infuse it with 'the power of love' before giving it back to the happily flushing girls. It was kind of sickening.

"Geez," Jonouchi said. "What a flirt. He hasn't learned, has he?"

"It's just how he is," Yugi said with a laugh.

Honda rolled his eyes. He started to turn away, but then, Otogi was standing in front of Miho's desk, placing a hand flat on the table beside hers. Miho looked up. She had been writing something down instead of looking at Otogi while her friends swooned, and Honda couldn't help but feel a bit of triumph at the fact. At least she wasn't swayed by his flirtatiousness...but wait, why did he care? She had turned him down; it shouldn't bother him if she chose someone else. Right?

"Hey, Nohsaka-san, wasn't it?" Otogi said with a smile. "What are you working on there?"

"Hm? Oh, just some homework. I didn't do it last night, and English is starting as soon as _sensei_ gets here."

With a mischievous smile, Otogi tugged the paper out from under Miho's hands.

"Oh, what pretty handwriting," he said. "It matches you perfectly, my dear."

Miho smiled politely and took her paper back from him.

"Thank you, Otogi-kun."

Honda couldn't help but grin as she looked away from him. Otogi looked a little miffed; he seemed confused about Miho's lack of attention for him.

_That's because Miho's too good for you._

Then he frowned.

_Well, she's too good for me, too._

Otogi didn't seem willing to give up, though. He seemed to take a steadying breath, and then turned up the charm.

"Nohsaka-san, what a pretty ribbon," he said. "Do you always wear that? It really brings out your eyes."

Miho didn't even look up from her page.

"Thank you, Otogi-kun."

Anzu nodded approvingly.

"At least someone's rational in this room," Anzu said. "I was starting to get worried for my fellow females."

Otogi looked a little annoyed now, but the spark vanished quickly. Ha, Honda thought. Not every girl was going to fall for that poser. With a flip of his ponytail, he pretended to reach out to steal Miho's ribbon.

"You know, I think the only thing that's missing right now is 'the power of love,'" he said. "Should I power it up for you?"

His fingers closed on the ribbon. Miho's head snapped up, eyes wide. Instantly, Honda was on his feet, his chair clattering to the ground.

The room went silent. Everyone froze at the sound of the chair. Honda's friends stared at him, slack-jawed. Otogi's mouth hung slightly open, frozen in his position of stealing the ribbon. All of the girls that had been fawning over Otogi looked nervously at Honda, like he was going to start throwing punches.

And Miho's violet eyes found Honda's, questioning and a little surprised.

Before anyone could recover, Honda spoke.

"Hey," he said. "Why don't you focus your 'power of love' efforts on the girls that actually enjoy it. Instead of messing with something important to someone that doesn't want to be bothered?"

Miho blinked. She looked about to say something, a question on her lips. Then her mouth closed. Otogi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, is Honda jealous?" he said. "Well, don't be shy. Why don't you spill your feelings?"

Honda just glared levelly at Otogi. He had nothing more to say. Miho glanced between them for a moment.

Then she stood up with a start.

"I'm going to use the bathroom," she said to her friends, acting like Otogi wasn't there.

She walked gracefully to the door. Her delicate fingers fixed the ribbon in her hair, which had become slightly crooked in Otogi's attempted theft. She paused at the door. For a moment, Honda thought she might look back.

But then she vanished into the hallway. Honda didn't look at Otogi's glowering eyes. He didn't listen to the girls' whispers, or respond to his friends' questions.

He just righted his chair, and sat back down.

Otogi should have known better. That ribbon was worth more to Miho than he could have possibly guessed. The first time Honda had ever seen Miho Nohsaka, he had heard her talking about it. It might have been the reason why he fell in love with her in the first place. Because someone with a love that strong, that persisting...that was a beautiful thing...

_"My father gave me this ribbon. He told me I looked pretty...grown-up...with it. That was...two weeks before he died...and I've never taken it off since."_

A/N: Aw, poor Miho-chan. I like working with the manga Miho. There's so much space for interpretation. And Otogi is such a flirt. It's kind of obnoxious. Next is...crap. Rhythmshipping (Mei x Kyuu x Yami no Yugi x Jonouchi). You've got to be kidding me...


	157. Rhythmshipping

_Rhythmshipping (Mei x Kyuu x Jonouchi x Yami no Yugi)_

There is a rhythm to life, and those that live it. Some are faster than others. Some have slow, tedious rhythms, and other live peppy, fast-paced rhythms. When these rhythms coincide, when people come together, things happen. Maybe the music will blend, change, and grow from the experience. Or maybe the discordant tunes will clash off of each other, never to mix.

Such was the case of the four figures around the battle field. On one side, an exotic, matching rhythm, completely synchronized. On the other side, a dark, thrumming rhythm paired with the brash, discordant song of his partner.

The synchronized tune, powerful in its ability to match and blend, thought to overpower the other two songs. After all, how could such two obviously different songs think to work together and create a powerful defense?

But the owners of the tune misjudged themselves. Because while they though of themselves as powerful in their identical thoughts, there was nothing new to build off of. They were mirrors of each other, a simple tune in stereo.

And on the other side, those two mismatched riffs learned to build and grow with each other. It takes more than one instrument, more than one melody, to make a truly powerful song. The challengers had realized this. And they brought it together.

The synchronized rhythms never stood a chance.

A/N: Yay, abstract! When in doubt, blind your readers with pointless symbolism. Yep, that's a great strategy. Yep. Next is Rewindshipping (Priest Set x Yami no Yugi).


	158. Rewindshipping

_Rewindshipping (Priest Set x Yami no Yugi)_

The mind needed a rewind button. If only that were possible, then Yami no Yugi could search his clean slate of a memory for the truth.

It was so _frustrating_! To see things, place, people, everything so familiar, like a constant sense of deja vu without ever breaking through the wall of time. Every time that feeling of remembering would grow in the back of his mind, he would stop whatever he was doing, and try to follow that thread.

But the mere act of acknowledging the thought made it vanish, and he was left with nothing once again.

"Yugi. Yugi! Are you even paying attention? It's your move!"

The harsh, angry eyes of Seto Kaiba glared at him from across the sidewalk. Yami no Yugi snapped out of his thoughts. People were starting to stare at the holograms crowding the sidewalk, and Yami no Yugi tried to remember how he had come to agree to having a duel right in the middle of Domino.

"Right, right," he said. "Patience, Kaiba."

Kaiba scowled at him.

And there, right then, he remembered.

It was only for a moment, really just a split second. But he had seen that scowl before, so many times. A tan-skinned face, framed in a tall blue hat; a tall, slender figure clad in long white and blue robes.

_"Pharaoh, must you be so reckless?"_ a familiar voice snapped.

Yami no Yugi froze up. That – the memory. Kaiba had sparked it...Kaiba? Who had that been? If only he could remember!

"Yugi, come on, I don't have all day!"

Yami no Yugi shook his head. Blue eyes flashed in his mind. For a moment, he could feel something in him starting to break. This was hopeless...he would never remember this way.

So he looked up, met Kaiba's eyes, and pretended that they were the blue eyes of the memory. Just for now, he would pretend. Pretend that Kaiba was the boy in his mind, from long ago, and that this moment, right now, was one of his memories.

And the longer he pretended, the more he started to see him. Clad all in his robes and his permanent scowl, except when he managed to do something really funny...and then he would laugh in spite of himself...

"Right," Yami no Yugi whispered. "Set..."

A/N: Not quite as potent as Servantshipping, but whatever. My fingers are starting to hurt from so much typing...next is (eeeeeeeeeee) Revolutionshipping (Anzu x Yami no Yugi).


	159. Revolutionshipping

_Revolutionshipping (Yami no Yugi x Anzu)_

_(based off of Yu-Gi-Oh season 0, episode 13)_

It was so, so dark. What was wrong with her head? She couldn't think past the fuzziness and the darkness. She could feel her heart beating in her throat, and she felt like she might be sick. Her stomach roiled. Her breaths, shallow and fluttering, felt irregular and difficult.

She couldn't think, see, hear, or feel. What if someone was there? Would she know? What had happened to her and why couldn't she move? Vague images and impressions fluttered through her mind, though she couldn't be certain if they were dreams or real. One thought rang clear in her mind, however: a voice that had broken through the darkness of her mind...

"Get away from Anzu, you scum."

That voice – it was dark, threatening, and thrumming with a confidence and power that told Anzu instantly that she was all right. She was going to be okay.

The fear in her chest started to fade. Darkness threatened to overtake what was left of her consciousness, but she clung to wakefulness. She wanted to see him – the owner of the voice. She wanted to be there, to thank him, to finally see his face...

In the midst of her struggle to remain awake, soft fingers brushed the hair from her cheek. The touch sent a soft, pleasant shudder through her.

"Sh," that dark voice said. "Anzu. You're safe now."

He was only a voice, but it seemed to envelop her in security. Strong arms lifted her up and cradled her gently against a slender bulk. She could hear his heartbeat, slow and steady in her ear.

"You're safe," he said again, tickling her ear with his breath. "I promise...as long as I'm here...I'll protect you..."

His lips might have brushed her forehead. She wasn't sure. It might have been a dream. But although she tried to speak to him, her body would not respond. All she could do was lay in his strong, gentle arms, and drift off into sleep...knowing that now, for certain, she was safe.

A/N: Aw, Yami no Yugi is so awesome and Anzu is so sweet. The poor girl gets attacked one too many times, especially in my fanfiction (cough cough Bakura cough cough); it was about time someone stating treating her the right way. Next is Revertshipping (Jonouchi x Priest Set).


	160. Revertshipping

_Revertshipping (Jonouchi x Priest Set)_

As a pharaoh, he technically shouldn't have done what he did. It was the duty of a pharaoh to go to the afterlife and prepare the way for others. But since he had always seen himself as a poor substitute for his cousin, he didn't feel very guilty about it. Thrusting one's name, and with it, one's soul, into the future was a forbidden magic.

Set didn't care, though. So instead of submitting himself to the judgment of Osiris upon his death bed, he murmured a few carefully memorized words, and his soul fell into a deep sleep.

It lasted almost as long as the pharaoh's, although, he had no way of knowing that. He would reincarnate at times...after all, he had had no idea when the pharaoh would be reborn. He could only resign himself to a half-existence while he waiting, never remembering who he was until he lay on his death bed again.

While his soul searched through decades and millennia in search of the lost soul of his pharaoh, he would be visited by dreams and visions. Most of the time, they were pointless, and had nothing to do with him. Other times, they were simply the thoughts of the spirits fleeing past him into the afterlife, bits and pieces left behind as they ran.

But suddenly, as the sleep wore on, something interesting started to play through his mind...

He was a tall, fair-skinned, and blonde boy, talking in a language Set did not understand. He wore strange clothing, and had a brash recklessness attached to his behavior. At first, Set did not understand why this boy was important. It was probably just another spirit slipping by.

But no, wait – that was him! The pharaoh! The blond-headed boy pushed the spiky haired boy playfully, and they both laughed. Set quivered with anticipation. That had to be the pharaoh. It had to. No other could look so similar.

Despite his excitement, his eyes drifted over to the blond-headed boy. The boy grinned with a wide, mischievous abandon that irked Set. That was a boy that had never known true responsibility in his life. Eternally cheerful, unless he was angry, and then it took too much time for the rage to settle.. Set had met one or two people like that before he had come to the palace.

But the pharaoh smiled broadly, his eyes sparkled, and he met the blond boy's outstretched hand with a strange hand-slap gesture. And then Set saw another vision: he could not believe it, but he was staring at himself.

But something had been lost in this reincarnation. He wanted...Set shuddered. He wanted to hurt the pharaoh. To kill him, even. Set did not want to reincarnate, not if that was the price. Such a rift between him and his pharaoh...he did not want to revert to that state.

And yet the reckless boy stayed near. Despite the terrible dangers the pharaoh faced, the boy did not turn away. His face was set stubbornly, and his fists clenched in determination. He would not leave. He would never leave...even though Set might try to hurt him, even though the shadows might rise up against him, he would stay at the pharaoh's side...

Set sighed softly, and allowed the dreams to disappear. He could not stop his reincarnation, nor change himself once it happened. He could only wait...and hope...and trust...

Trust the boy with the reckless soul but the strong heart...

A/N: This one was really hard for me. Mostly because of one reason: I HATE PUPPYSHIPPING. And way too similar to Puppyshipping. So, now that I've alienated probably half of my readers by hating on a super popular pairing, let's move on, shall we? Next is Revengeshipping (Amelda x Seto).


	161. Revengeshipping

_Revengeshipping (Seto x Amelda)_

_(Geez, I don't know how to write about Amelda...)_

Seto had always been good at keeping up a front. In fact, once he had been so good at pretending to be ruthless that he had become it. He would hate Gozaburo Kaiba for bringing out that side of him forever, and he would renounce that dark part of himself.

This boy didn't seem to know that, though. And Seto wasn't sure he cared enough to try and change his mind. After all, Seto still wore a mask of some kind. That mask of perpetual irritation and a one-track mind about his company was deeply embedded into him, but it was a mask nonetheless. It had been forged to hide the frightened child underneath, the one that Gozaburo had created with a malicious smile...

Still, the boy Seto faced would not know that. He was too young, mentally, anyway. His mind was swirling with thoughts of justice and righteousness, things Seto had been forced to discard. The boy was single-minded in his purpose. Somehow, Gozaburo had injured this Amelda, and Amelda was determined to have his revenge. His eyes burned with that hatred – since Gozaburo was gone, it had to go somewhere.

The boy shouldn't have directed it towards Seto. Seto hated Gozaburo probably more than Amelda did. But he also knew that Amelda would not listen to him. He was caught up in his hatred, and nothing would dissuade him. And how did Seto know this? Because he had been the same way, once. His hate and anger turned against Yugi, he would let no one interfere or change his course.

Not even Mokuba.

His hands tightened on his cards, remembering the young that was desperately trying to keep this plane in the air. He had to finish this. He had to get out of this stupid Orichalchos seal thing as quickly as possible, to protect Mokuba.

He turned his eyes on the hateful ones of Amelda. He hardened himself against those eyes, against his understanding of them. Mokuba was more important than that. He doubted Amelda could understand.

Because when one was caught up in revenge, one didn't always remember the things that mattered most very easily...

A/N: I have no idea how to write from Amelda's perspective because I haven't written about him before and I haven't watched Waking the Dragons in a while. So thus, Seto's stream of consciousness. I love writing about what's going on in people's heads. Does that make me creepy? Next is Revenantshipping (Yami no Yugi x Amane). Geez, that Amane...her spirit goes all over the place doesn't it?


	162. Revenantshipping

_Revenantshipping (Yami no Yugi x Amane)_

As a spirit himself, Yami no Yugi could see the ghosts that hovered about the streets of Domino. He never told Yugi about his sight; he didn't want to worry his partner. Especially since the bright strength of his soul seemed to attract spirits that wanted to possess him. If not for the dark, protective aura of Yami no Yugi, Yugi might have been the subject of the next Paranormal Activity.

So he wasn't surprised when he saw the little girl darting around people on the street after them, although no one seemed to notice or even bump into her. He sighed. This was the third lost soul stalking Yugi in as many weeks. Without telling Yugi, who was busy talking to Jonouchi and Ryo about Monster World or something, he turned to face the spirit.

She stopped in front of him, glanced up, and then jumped back as she realized that he was looking right at her.

"Excuse me," he said. "But why are you following us?"

The girl stiffened. She looked...familiar, somehow.

She was a tiny thing, half his size and no more than nine or ten years old. Her long, silky white hair fell across her back like a doll's hair, pulled half back with a big red ribbon. Her big brown eyes looked up at him nervously, and her skirt and blouse were torn and bloody. However she had died, it had not been an easy one.

But most surprisingly, she appeared afraid of him. Most lost spirits that hadn't gone on to the afterlife soon became twisted by confusion at their deaths and resentment at the living. That quickly escalated until they became terrible beings, trying to harm and even kill humans, even possess them. Luckily, most human souls weren't strong enough to do much damage, and faded into the afterlife quickly.

But the stronger ones remained, and would seek souls like Yugi's to consume and grow stronger. Yugi was extremeley susceptible to possession; that was how he was able to host Yami no Yugi so easily.

Still, this girl seemed to be rather in control of herself. There was no hunger or evil in her eyes, just nervousness, like she was still alive. She did not attack him, either. There was a softness to her spirit that he had only felt before in the guardian spirits of the shadow world. Her fear calmed him, and he softened his voice.

"It's all right," he said. "I don't mean to scare you."

She swallowed, and ducked her head, but still didn't speak.

"What happened?" he pressed gently. "Why are you here?"

She glanced up at him through her bangs. Then she pointed with a shaky finger towards Yugi and his friends. Yami no Yugi glanced toward her finger, thinking that Yugi had in fact attracted her, when it hit him. This girl looked exactly like Ryo.

"You're...are you related to Bakura?"

She nodded.

"I'm...Amane," she said. "He's my big brother."

She tucked her arms behind her back and scuffed a foot shyly.

"I'm sorry," she said. "You thought I was chasing your friend, right? He has a nice, warm soul...I bet ghosts chase him a lot."

Yami no Yugi nodded slowly.

"It's all right. I jumped to conclusions."

Amane shook her head.

"No, you should, though, because ghosts like to chase people all the time," she said. "They're always chasing me. But when I stay close to my big brother, I'm usually safe – um, unless...the other big brother comes out."

Yami no Yugi stiffened slightly. The other big brother...she must mean Yami no Bakura. But he was not surprised that ghosts chased her. She had a strong, controlling soul, even after death. Spirits would want to consume that strength.

He knelt down to meet her at eye-level.

"You're...very brave to stay with your brother," he said.

She shook her head, but blushed all the same.

"I just want him to stay out of trouble," she said. "I don't want him to get hurt."

A wistfulness entered her voice, and Yami no Yugi felt so sorrowful that his heart might break. She was too young, too small to have died already. She should have had a much longer life.

He patted her on the head, and she blushed again. But the motion was for more than comfort: he whispered a silent spell that wrapped itself around the small girl, hiding her from the eyes of spirits that might harm her.

"Would you...like me to tell your brother anything?" he asked.

Amane hesitated.

"Um...tell him that...I'm still here, and I love him, and he should smile more," she said. "Please?"

Yami no Yugi smiled.

"Of course."

She smiled brightly. For a moment, she looked as though she might skip away – then she threw her arms around Yami no Yugi's shoulders.

"Thank you, mister," she said.

Then she scampered off to walk next to her brother, smiling up at him. She pretended to hold his hand, even though her own hand passed through his.

Yami no Yugi sighed, and this time, Yugi felt it.

"_Is something wrong?"_ he asked.

"_Yes," _Yami no Yugi said back. _"Yugi...can I take over for a moment? I have to tell Ryo something...something important..."_

A/N: I love Amane-chan! She's so sweet and nice; I wish she was in the real series. And "revenant" is definitely the wrong word for this shipping: it means a visible ghost or corpse come back to terrorize the dead. Amane would never terrorize anyone. Next is Revelationshipping (Seto x Priestess Isis).


	163. Revelationshipping

_Revelationshipping (Seto x Priestess Isis)_

Dreams irritated him. He hated their very existence. They were nothing more than nonsense that tormented the one time that he should be relaxing. Sleeping was a nightmare – damn, he just made a stupid pun.

He glared at himself in the mirror and tried to shake off the previous dream that had wakened him at midnight. He didn't have time for this, he had only gone to bed an hour ago and he had to be up at five.

"_I have had a dream, Set."_

"_What do I care of dreams? There is only now, and the future becomes what we make it."_

He scowled at himself. Yugi was starting to get into his head. He could barely close his eyes without thinking about the sands of Egypt, as though he had been there instead of just seeing pictures.

"_Dreams give us revelations. You know this. They are messages from the gods."_

"_Fine. Since you seem intent on telling me this dream, go ahead. What message came from the gods?"_

Tonight's dream consisted of a woman. She was a tall, beautiful being, moving gracefully across the warm stone floor of a grand palace. Gold glinted around her neck, and liquid brown eyes pierced into his very soul. In the dream, he had been attracted to those eyes, the soft curves of her face, and the soft, delicate way she moved her hands. Outside of the dream, he was irritated with himself for feeling in such a way.

"_I dreamed of you, Set."_

"_Me?"_

"_Yes...at least, I thought it was you. Your souls felt the same...but you were different. You had light skin, and wore strange clothing..."_

"_My skin is not likely to change color in the future. I think it was just a dream."_

There had been a hint of guilt in that attraction, though. Something about a man, someone else that she belonged to, and something else about a young woman from long ago that still haunted his dreams. But he did not remember those dreams inside a dream now, and everything about it just made him want to start throwing things.

"_You were a different you, but it was you nonetheless...but...you had...forgotten everyone from here...even me..."_

"_Does...doe that bother you? To be forgotten?"_

_Liquid brown eyes looked up at him with a sad smile._

"_Of course, Set. I want you to remember me.":_

"She never even thought of me like that –" he started to say. Then he stopped himself. What had he been about to say? He was acting like the dream was real.

"_Dreams are revelations from the gods."_

Seto rubbed his eyes. Then he stared at himself in the mirror again.

"_I want you to remember me."_

He scowled again.

Then he went back to bed, intending to forget her, but failing miserably.

A/N: :D I am such a Trustshipper. Next is Resurrectshipping (Cadeline x Cyndia).


	164. Resurrectshipping

_Resurrectshipping (Cadeline x Cyndia)_

"Sometimes I'm flattered that he loved me so much, you know? But sometimes, I wish he'd just get over me already. This is starting to get ridiculous."

Cyndia laughed softly, completely understanding her companion's feelings. Cadeline glared down through the hold, her bobbed blond hair shaking as she shook her head.

"Look at him, he's going absolutely nuts," she said. "Doesn't he know that guy can't bring me back to life? I don't know if I want to come back to life if he's getting so sadistic and crazy about me. It's not healthy."

Cyndia patted Cadeline's arm.

"I felt the same way for a while," she said. "But don't worry; Pegasus managed to calm down before he died and came to me. So I'm sure Pandora will do the same."

Cadeline huffed.

"Sometimes I wonder," she grumbled. "If someone doesn't stop him, he's going to end up killing that boy. And then _I'll_ kill _him_ again once he dies."

Despite her tough talk, she continued to stare down through the hole at her "crazy" former boyfriend. Cyndia smiled gently. The girl was beside herself for Pandora's safety, despite his recent mistakes and crazy attempts to bring Cadeline back. Cyndia knew exactly how that was: she had watched Pegasus for years, glad that he was still thinking of her, but worried because he could not let himself heal from losing her.

Still, Pegasus, even in his years of obsession and evil deeds, had managed to repent and heal. And then he had come to her, and they were together again.

Cyndia squeezed Cadeline's arm.

"He'll be okay."

"Hmph," Cadeline said. "He'd better be. Or he's getting the chewing out of his _life_ when he gets here."

A/N: This one was rather amusing. XD I have no idea what Cadeline, or Cyndia would act like, but I think I like Cadeline now. In case you didn't know, Cadeline was the dead girlfriend/magician's assistant to Pandora/Arcana, one of Marik's Ghouls that controlled a different Dark Magician. Next is Respectshipping (Mokuba x Yami no Yugi).


	165. Respectshipping

_Respectshipping (Mokuba x Yami no Yugi)_

_(Another first-person Mokuba chapter...I seem to like those)_

I guess it probably started some time after Death-T. It definitely didn't happen before; I hated that guy before.

But he reached out to me...when even my own brother was willing to leave me locked in an eternal nightmare to inevitably go mad, that red-eyed Yugi reached out to me, and pulled me back onto solid ground. Why? The question haunted me for weeks and weeks afterward, while I mechanically cared for a vegetable version of my brother.

I had tried to kill Yugi three times, because I had believed that would make my brother proud of me. It had been a stupid idea from the start. I don't know what was wrong with me. Even if my brother had been proud of me (which he wouldn't have) how could I have ever thought it was okay to kill someone? Yugi had no reason to help me. I was his enemy, plain and simple. Even if I was just a stupid, misguided elementary schooler, I didn't deserve his help.

And he didn't even stop there. In Duelist Kingdom, I tried to steal his star chips and knock him out of the tournament, when the only reason he was there was to save his grandpa. And even though I nearly ruined all of his chances, he promised to win not just for his sake, but for me and my brother's sake. I didn't deserve any of that. I didn't.

But he did it anyway.

Seto complains about Yugi a lot. I'm the only one he trusts to listen to stuff like that, so I get to hear _all_ about it. He's always saying how superior Yugi acts, how overly confidant and consistently pestering about "the power of unity" and stuff like that. "Yugi is the most obnoxious creature to walk this earth" – he said once, except, he used much more colorful word than obnoxious.

I just stay quiet and listen to him rant. Because I can't really tell him what I really think.

Yugi is the strongest and kindest person I have ever met. He helps people even when they don't deserve it, maybe because those red eyes of his see more than us regular people. Maybe he's my brother's eternal rival, and maybe I'm supposed to pick my brother's side all the time. But, in the end, I can't stop respecting Yugi.

A/N: I love Mokuba. :) Sometimes he is hard to write about though, because his first arc manga personality, and his later arcs/anime personality are so contradictory that it's hard to understand him. Next is Resistshipping (Yugi x Shogo). Wait...who's Shogo? Isn't that the kid from the Red Eyes movie?


	166. Resistshipping

_Resistshipping (Yugi x Shogo)_

_(Yeah…Shogo is from the Season 0 movie, so…look it up if you don't know who he is)_

Yugi's first meeting with Shogo Aoyama was a complete accident. He was late for a planned meeting with his friends at this new Dueling Café, and he didn't look where he was going when he burst out of his house. Shogo had been deliberating on whether or not to go into the Kame Game Shop when Yugi shot out and slammed right into him.

The boys fell down in a tangle of yelps and legs. Yugi got up first, groaning.

"Ouch," he said. "Oh! I'm so sorry; are you okay?"

Shogo rubbed the back of his head, wincing, but he looked up at Yugi's words.

"Oh, yeah…I'm fine…sorry," he said.

"Why are you sorry? I was the one that ran into you."

"Yeah…but I shouldn't have been standing outside the door like that…"

The boy was half a head shorter than Yugi. Being taller was a strange feeling for Yugi. The boy's blue hair was cut short, and his features were young – Yugi guessed that he was about Mokuba's age. And there was nervousness in his eyes, in the way he held himself. Yugi recognized that look. Yugi himself had looked like that before he had met Jonouchi and everyone.

"My name is Yugi Mutou," he said, making a decision. "What's your name?"

"I-I'm Shogo," the boy said, looking more nervous than before. "Shogo Aoyama."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Aoyama-san."

"Y-yeah, you too…"

Yugi hesitated again. Wow, he really was shy.

"Uh, are you new around here?"

Shogo nodded.

"I moved in to the house down the street yesterday," he said. "When I saw the game shop, I thought maybe I'd check it out…"

Yugi smiled suddenly. Oh good, he liked games! Maybe he could get through that shyness after all.

"Oh, you like games?" he said.

Shogo nodded shyly.

"Actually, my grandpa owns this game shop," Yugi said. "There's a lot of really cool stuff in here; a lot of stuff you can't find anywhere else. What's your favorite kind of game?"

"Um…Duel Monsters…"

"Wow! That's one of my favorites too! Do you have a deck?"

"Uh, yeah…but I don't duel much…"

Yugi was excited now. A new person in town that liked to play Duel Monsters!

"We should play sometime," he said. "Actually, I was going to meet some of my friends at the Dueling Café. Would you like to come along?"

Shogo blushed beet red.

"I…uh…no, thanks, not right now," he said. "Um…I should probably go back home now…but thanks…"

"All right," Yugi said, a little disappointed. "But you can come to the game shop any time, all right?"

Shogo nodded, and there was a little bit of a shy smile on his face. He turned and trotted off down the street. Yugi waved as he left, smiling slightly to himself. He hoped he and Shogo could be friends, someday. The shy little boy reminded Yugi a lot of himself, and Yugi knew firsthand how hard it had been to make friends...

A/N: Mm-hm. I don't have anything to say about this one. Next is Rescueshipping (Shizuka x Kisara).


	167. Rescueshipping

_Rescueshipping (Shizuka x Kisara)_

Somehow, the card had managed to flutter out of Kaiba's suitcase while it was open – a very strange occurrence, seeing how Kaiba took such care with his Duel Monsters cards. Luckily for him, Shizuka happened to be trotting along behind him when it happened, and she managed to rescue the runaway card before it landed it a puddle.

She breathed a sigh of relief. If one of Kaiba's cards had landed in a puddle, she wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere near him. She turned it over, and her eyes widened. Oh, yes, she definitely wouldn't have wanted to be around if this one was ruined.

The shiny holographic surface of the Blue Eyes White Dragon stared impassively up at her. Despite its glaring, growling face, there was something about the card that felt...calm. It didn't seem as sharp-edged or fierce as it did whenever Kaiba played it in battle. Right now, the great beast was at rest, and it didn't feel dangerous at all. It felt...Shizuka blushed a little at this...like a motherly presence wrapping around her. It was strange, to have such feelings come around her from a little piece of paper.

But the longer she stared at it, the less she saw a dragon, and the more she saw a sleeping girl...

"What are you _doing_ with that?"

Shizuka jumped out of her reverie. Kaiba was glaring down at her.

"Oh, this fell out," she said, holding out the card. "It was going to go into a puddle."

Kaiba snatched the card back, glanced at its face, and looked startled for a moment. Then he angrily tucked the card safely back into his suitcase, and stalked away. Shizuka shrugged helplessly as he stalked away. She started to turn away – but then, for a moment, she thought she saw someone.

A tall, willowy girl, with hair so blue and metallic that it almost looked white. She walked silently beside Kaiba, bare feet soundless against the pavement. She hesitated for a moment, and turned to meet Shizuka's eyes.

Those beautiful blue eyes sparkled with inner warmth. She put a finger to her lips and winked at Shizuka, before mouthing, _'thank you.'_

Then she turned, and continued to walk beside Kaiba, who was completely oblivious.

Shizuka couldn't help but let a smile come to her face. The woman...whoever, or whatever she had been...had felt so warm and comforting...

A/N: Yeeep. Next is Rerunshipping (Yami no Bakura x Noa).


	168. Rerunshipping

_Rerunshipping (Yami no Bakura x Noa)_

Noa's memories were in a constant rerun. He didn't need to sleep while in the virtual world, but he did so anyway out of habit; the lack of a physical subconscious meant that the virtual world tried to compensate by giving him constant dreams. But the dreams were nothing more than a continuous stream of memories from before the virtual world. They only left Noa feeling worse than ever before, and he stopped sleeping.

So once he was out and in the real world, through a miracle that no one could explain, he still feared sleeping. What would he dream about in the real world? He was afraid to find out. He would spend as long as possible trying not to sleep: spending hours reading in the library, or wandering around the Kaiba mansion to see what had changed since he had last been there, flipping through Duel Monsters cards, even surfing the Internet if he got desperate enough (computers still unnerved him a little, as though they might suck him back in). Eventually he would drop of exhaustion, but an exhausted sleep never gave him dreams.

Tonight, though, none of those options appealed to him. He tossed and turned in the bed, trying his best not to sleep. It wasn't working very well, because his eyes were starting to feel heavy, and the bed really _was_ comfortable...

He shot straight up before he could fall asleep. He had to do something – anything! – to escape the reruns.

He slid out of bed and padded over to the huge windows. After a moment's though, he pulled open the sliding door and stepped through onto the balcony. The night was cool and refreshing, and it wiped Noa's tiredness away instantly. He leaned against the railing, counting the stars while he let the night breeze wash over him.

A motion caught his eye, somewhere down in the garden. He looked directly at it, curious. Who would be out in the garden at this time of night?

For a moment, he saw nothing. Then a slight, dark figure darted across the gardens. Noa leaned over the railing. Who was that? They didn't look familiar. The figure darted across the path, through a patch of moonlight. This time, Noa caught a glimpse of shiny white hair...

For some reason, a feeling of dread settled over him. He stared down into the garden for a moment longer. Then he backed away from the balcony, suddenly wishing he was back inside.

Yami no Bakura considered with great interest the boy that had previously been leaning over the balcony. A small, green-haired boy no older than Kaiba's runt of a brother, there was something about him that attracted Bakura's attention. What exactly was it? Was it the fact that Bakura had never seen him before? Or was it the aura of not belonging that intrigued him...?

He hit on it suddenly. The boy was supposed to be dead. Bakura had an eye for spirits, being one himself, and he knew a dead soul when he saw one. But something had changed. Someone had managed to reignite his soul and breathe new life into him...that was a powerful magic.

Bakura fingers twitched in anticipation. That kind of magic...could he make it his own? He didn't know.

But perhaps he would try...to see if this rerun was one of a kind...

A/N: …yeah. I don't have much to say anymore. Next is Replayshipping (Yugi x Rebecca).


	169. Replayshipping

_Replayshipping (Yugi x Rebecca)_

One by one, they fell for it.

"Oh, aren't you adorable!" her mother's friends would croon.

"My little pumpkin, my darling baby girl!" her mother laughed.

"She's such a little baby," her girl classmates complained. "Why do all the guys like her?"

"She's really cute, like a baby," the boy classmates would say as they ranked the cutest girls in class. "She's like someone you can protect and stuff."

"What'sa matter, kid?" her opponents would sneer. "Get lost on the way to kindergarten?"

It was easier than showing her real face. No one liked her real face, like before, when...

"_It doesn't matter if I wrote the formula wrong," her teachers snapped. "Don't talk back to your elders."_

"_Rebecca thinks she's sooo cool because she's sooo smart," girls said._

"_She's an annoying smarty pants," boys said. "Nobody likes a smart girl."_

It was so much easier to wear a mask. To pretend to be dumb and helpless. The only time she could stop pretending was when she defeated others in duels, and even then, the mask was necessary to throw her opponents off guard. There was no freedom. The mask was all she had to protect herself. So she would giggle, smile, and make her teddy bear dance.

It was the only way to survive.

Yugi didn't think so, thought.

"Why'd you give up, Yu-kun?" she said. "If you could win, why didn't you try?"

Her cutesy voice was a poor mask to the anger she felt. Why had he forfeited if he could win? Did he think of her as a baby to be coddled? Well, she had given that impression...but it didn't stop the fury in her brain.

Yugi Mutou just blinked at her, barely taller than she was. He didn't look three years older than her, with his round, youthful face and warm violet eyes. If Rebecca had worn her glasses, let her hair down, and dressed more formally, like she preferred, she might have even looked older than him.

But there was something else: something else in those violet eyes that seemed...deeper. Past his youthful face, there was a strength there, radiating from him in a way that she could never truly show about herself.

He smiled at her; not a gentle, condescending smile, but a warm and cheerful one.

"You weren't playing me as yourself," he said. "I didn't want to win against a fake Rebecca-chan."

Her breath caught in her throat.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Yu-kun?"

"Exactly, that's what I'm talking about," Yugi said. "That's not your real voice, and that's not your real face. You should be yourself, Rebecca-chan. Defeating a fake you wouldn't be a real win."

"I-I'm not a fake!"

How could he see through her so easily? How could he know that this face wasn't real? She put on her best "about to burst into tears" look, but Yugi only smiled sadly.

"Rebecca-chan, we're friends, right?" he said.

"Huh? I-I guess so..."

"Well, you see, friends want their friends to be themselves. We don't have to lie to each other. Instead, we have to be the best versions of ourselves for each other. I'm your friend, and I want to know the real you."

The real...Rebecca...

Her insides started to tighten up, and this time, there were real tears pricking at her eyes. No one...no one had ever seen it. No one had ever tried to see it. Yugi reached out, and touched her shoulder gently. The touch sent shocks down her arms and all the way down to her toes; it was a strange, tingling sensation.

"But..." she said quietly. "No one...wants...to see the real me..."

"I do."

"You won't...like me...anymore..."

"Don't be silly."

She lifted her eyes to meet Yugi's. There was warmth and reassurance there, and for the first time, Rebecca felt a weight lift from her chest that she hadn't known was there.

Her mask fell away. Her back straightened, her eyes sharpened, and her teddy bear dropped from her hands. Yugi didn't look away. His smile never faltered – in fact, it got bigger.

"Well?" Rebecca asked impatiently, a new, intelligent edge to her tone.

Yugi grinned.

"Yeah, I can see the real you, now," he said.

Rebecca put her hands on her hips and thrust her chin high.

"Well, then I demand a rematch!" she said. "And this time, you can't hold back, Mr. World Champion!"

Yugi laughed, a gentle sound that sent heat acros her cheeks.

"Whatever you say," he said. "I guess it's replay time."

"That's not grammatically correct. You should say 'it's time to play again.'"

Yugi smiled broadly, and patted her on the shoulder.

"It's good to meet you, Rebecca Hopkins," he said. "For real, this time."

Rebecca smiled awkwardly – it was the first real smile in...who knows how long.

As they returned to the Battle Box, Rebecca paused. She reached up and twined her fingers into her hair, extracting the hairbands from her pigtails. Her hair fell freely, joyfully, down across her back, and as the wind picked up and played with it, she felt real.

With warmth in her heart, she ran to meet Yugi.

She left the teddy bear behind.

A/N: Aw, kawaii! I love this pairing. Next is Replaceshipping (Gozaburo x Noa x Seto).


	170. Replaceshipping

_Replaceshipping (Gozaburo x Noa x Seto)_

I thought it would be good enough. I thought having him here with me would be enough to heal the hole in my chest. But it wasn't. I could not hold him anymore. There was nothing to reassure me that he was still there. Being with him just made me feel colder and colder.

And I started to hate him.

I hated him for dying, for existing, for creating these feelings in my chest that I could not squelch. It was affecting my work, my stocks, my life. I couldn't survive like this.

So I wasn't too upset when that boy beat me in chess. I was almost glad to bring him home. But he wasn't Noa. That much was clear in the first few days. He couldn't replace Noa, and he couldn't get rid of that hate or the hurt.

It became relieving to take out my anger on him.

I knew from the second he looked at me that he did a double-take. I looked like someone he knew, or somehow reminded him of it. I knew I could use that to my advantage – the chess match plan was perfect against someone like him.

This was for Mokuba, I told myself. He needed a better life, and we needed to stay together. If I could use this man for that end, I would. He couldn't replace the life we had once had, but it would have to do.

So I thought then. But I had only brought us into hell.

He seemed to delight in tormenting me. Sometimes mentally, sometimes physically, sometimes even emotionally. I hated him. I couldn't believe how much I hated him – and that hate changed me.

The worst part of it, it almost seemed to be personal, the way he would torment me. Like I had done something to him, and he was taking his revenge. It was probably whoever I reminded him of. So I hated that person too, for bringing that man's hate down on me.

I didn't understand it. Father seemed so cold and distant. Had it happened overnight? Or was it so slowly that I hadn't noticed?

I knew about the boy my age that my father had adopted. He never told me personally, which hurt, because that meant he was hiding it from me. But I knew the boy from when he logged onto the Internet. I could see his passage through the web, and it didn't take long for me to track him to my own home and identify him.

Why had father adopted him? Was he trying to replace me?

The more I thought about it, as years passed and my father visited less and less, I started to hate that boy. I hated him for taking my father from me. I hated him for being smarter, able to grow up, for being real.

But secretly, in my heart, I knew I didn't really hate him. I knew that really, my hate was only for myself...for allowing myself to be replaced.

A/N: Oh, how sad. :( Next is Rendershipping (Pegasus x Seto x Jonouchi).


	171. Rendershipping

_Rendershipping (Jonouchi x Seto x Pegasus)_

_(Anime continuity…sometime before Millennium World arc I guess…I'm not sure when this happens…)_

It was Seto's worst nightmare, but unfortunately, he was still awake.

"Tell me again what the hell you two are doing here?" he said, clenching his fists enough to leave marks on his palms.

"Don't ask me," Jonouchi said, scowling. "_He_ dragged me over here."

The "him" in question was Pegasus J. Crawford, who was currently humming a tune that neither of them knew and neither of them ever wanted to hear again.

"Pegasus, so help me, if you keep singing stupid American pop songs under your breath, I will call security and see that you are thrown out violently."

Pegasus merely laughed lightly. The tall, white haired American man had one of _those_ smiles on his face, which told Seto he was trying to plan something that would get Seto out of his office. Well, there was a snowball's chance in hell that he was leaving his office today – he had nearly three meetings, two important phone calls, a business e-mail to answer, and some project proposals to review.

He glanced irritably across at Jonouchi, looking for something to vent his anger on.

The sullen, blond haired boy glowered at Kaiba, his arms folded and his foot tapping against the ground. His shoulders were pulled up and stiff in agitation. Just looking at him made Seto feel like throwing something. If there was one thing he didn't need today, it was a hyperactive, eccentric American businessman and an irritable, second-rate, bleached hair duelist with a grudge to settle.

"Have you seen how nice it is outside today, Kaiba-boy?" Pegasus asked, gesturing outside the window. "It's positively glorious!"

"Yes, and?" Seto asked.

"Would ya stop glaring at me, already?" Jonouchi said. "It ain't my fault I'm here. Turn that ugly face at Pegasus instead."

"Only if you'll turn your dog face away first, mutt."

Jonouchi flared, his already tense expression starting to burst.

"Take that back, ya bastard."

Seto simply scowled and glared at Pegasus again.

"Why are you here?" he asked. "More importantly, why did you bring him?"

"Because it's spring, Kaiba-boy, and here you are cooped up in your office! I bet you haven't even heard a bird sing yet."

"Hearing the birds sing does not affect my company's stocks. And if anyone should be in their office, it's you, Pegasus. You keep flying out to Japan for absolutely no reason, draining your already dropping resources, and you don't seem to give a damn!"

Pegasus grinned.

"You're right, I don't," he said. "Duel Monsters was a means to an end, Kaiba-boy, and I did not receive the end I wanted. I think it's probably time I stopped worrying about means that no longer have purpose. What about you, Kaiba-boy? What end are you looking for?"

He glanced over at Jonouchi.

"And Jonouchi-boy, how about you?"

Jonouchi blinked a couple times, as though surprised he had been addressed.

"Me? What do I have to do with this lover's spat of yours?"

Seto shot Jonouchi a death glare, which only seemed to prompt a huge grin from Jonouchi. The blond boy obviously thought he had hit a nerve, and decided to enjoy Seto's fury while he could.

"I'm going to press this button," Seto said, his finger hovering over the security button.

"No, you're not," Pegasus said.

"And what's going to stop me?"

"Well…"

Pegasus stood up slowly from the chair he had commandeered. For a second, he seemed to hesitate, his single visible eye flicked to Seto, and then Jonouchi. The next move came without warning. Pegasus grabbed Jonouchi's arm, pulled him around the desk, and practically pushed him at Seto. The two shocked boys tumbled to the ground in a flurry of yelps and tangled limbs.

Seto shoved Jonouchi off of him, swearing both mentally and out loud.

"Pegasus, what the –" he started.

"Damn, what the hell was that for –"

Both boys froze midsentence when they saw a mischievous Pegasus waving a camera.

"Oh, wasn't that a scandalous photo," he said. "Wouldn't want that on the Internet, would we?"

Seto could feel the rageful heat pumping into his face, but Pegasus interpreted as something different, which only made Seto angrier.

"Oh, Kaiba-boy's getting flustered!"

"Pegasus, give me that damn camera!"

"Yeah, give it!" Jonouchi shouted.

Pegasus laughed and dangled the camera just out of reach. Both boys swiped for it and missed, wild in their fury.

"I'll delete it if you leave the office for a day, Kaiba-boy," Pegasus said. "That's all you have to do!"

"But why me too?" Jonouchi said.

Seto sent a furious glare at Jonouchi, convinced that this was just as much his fault as Pegasus'.

So that was why Pegasus had brought Jonouchi.

A/N: There, Puppyshippers. That's about all the fanservice you're gonna get. You can thank Pegasus for that. Next is Relyshipping (Jonouchi x Shizuka). Why, why, WHY? Incest…rawr….


	172. Relyshipping

_Relyshipping (Shizuka x Jonouchi)_

She was crying in the corner again. He _hated_ it when she cried.

A crash resounded from the kitchen. He winced, and she flinched, beginning a fresh set of tears. The shouts were never-ending in the kitchen. Something else shattered, and this time, she sobbed. It was such a tiny, pathetic sound…it ripped Katsuya's heart in half.

He clenched his fists, trembling with the anger. The shouts froze to a frenzied pitch, and something else crashed to the floor. Shizuka cried a little more. Why couldn't their parents see that _they_ were the ones causing this? Both of them, together? It wasn't just one person's fault, like they continually screamed at each other.

It was both of their faults.

He walked over to her, where she trembled in the corner. He knelt down so that he was as small as she was. She looked up with wet eyes.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why do mommy and daddy yell all the time? It's scary."

He didn't have an answer for her, and that just made him angrier. Shizuka didn't seem to like the look on his face, because she buried herself into a tiny ball and cried more. The anger rushed out of him in a whoosh. Oh, no, he was scaring Shizuka, too.

He touched her shoulder, gently.

She glanced up again. With a shudder, she leaned into him, until they were hugging each other. Two small children huddled in a corner, while the shouts of nearby parents washed over them like harsh ocean waves. They leaned against each other, one sobbing, one trembling with something he couldn't quite place.

It wasn't fair for them to be in the corner all the time. It wasn't fair that Shizuka had to rely on him, instead of her parents. It wasn't fair…for them to be alone. He had to do something. Anything.

"Hey," he said. "Do you want…to go to the beach?"

A/N: Not a good _couple_, but a beautiful sibling relationship. Why anyone would want to ruin a beautiful relationship by making it romantic is beyond me. I love family relationships, sometimes even more than romantic ones. Next is Releaseshipping (Yami no Yugi x Marik x Ryo).


	173. Releaseshipping

_Releaseshipping (Yami no Yugi x Marik x Ryo)_

"Hey," Ryo asked. "Do you think…"

He started the sentence, but it never ended. The two boys on either side of him waited a moment to see if he was going to finish.

The day was ending. The sun set across the harbor, turning it red and orange with fire, until the sky and the sea melded into one perfect, never ending spectrum of colors. Those reds and oranges filtered into the city that bordered the spectral world of the sunset, transforming skyscrapers, railings, bridges, even people into strange, ghost-like beings.

It had been an accident, the three of them meeting up on a day like today. But it was a _happy_ accident, and that was what was important. The tallest of the three, a slender, tan-skinned boy with lavender eyes, had been lost. Not physically, but emotionally, and spiritually. He had returned from his desert home to find something, anything, that could help him find meaning again. Because he had lost his meaning when he turned around. Revenge was no longer his driving force, and without that, he didn't know how to stand. He sought release from this half-life, and that search had led him back to the city where his turning point began.

Another of the boys, the shortest but yet the most dominating presence, had also been lost. He wandered streets where battles had been fought and won, and wondered for what purpose it was. He tried to hide these thoughts from the one who shared his mind, but it had become difficult. Where was he supposed to go? What was he supposed to do now? The battle was won, but the war continued. Where would it bring him next, and what would he lose? He searched for a release from this tension, and it led him here, to the most spectral part of the city at sunset, where a wandering spirit like him could feel like he belonged for a time.

And the last of the boys, the one who had not finished his sentence? He, too, sought a release: release from the spirit that inhabited him, who remained with him even after his defeat, but strong enough to force his host to keep his presence a secret. The light-haired boy had also wandered these streets, where different battles were still fought and won for control of himself. Was there anyone else that could understand this feeling of lost control? Did anyone else long for a release as much as he did?

Of course. And he had found the both of them.

He sighed, leaning against the railing overlooking the harbor.

"What were you going to say, Ryo?" Yami no Yugi asked.

"Yeah, you just trailed off, there," Marik said.

Ryo glanced up from his reverie. Green eyes met violet, and then red. Two pairs of eyes that, although different, seemed to match his in spirit.

"Oh, right," he said. "I was just wondering…do you think…it's out there, maybe?"

"What?" Marik asked.

"I don't know…I guess…peace of mind?"

Yami no Yugi laughed softly.

"One can only hope, Ryo," he said. "One can only hope."

And all three boys turned their eyes toward the sunset…an ending that still promised a new beginning…

A/N: Whoa, I got all poetic on that one. Next is Regresshipping (Pegasus x Cyndia x Pandora x Cadeline).


	174. Regressshipping

_Regresshipping (Pegasus x Cyndia x Pandora x Cadeline)_

The afterlife was a terrible place for someone who was waiting. Cyndia knew that first hand. Not quite a ghost that was able to contact the living, not quite passed on into that place where words no longer held meaning. Trapped in a limbo for what felt like eternity, the only pastime being watching those left behind.

Cyndia knew the meaning of waiting. It had been a long, arduous wait, as she watched her beloved spiral into depression, turning to criminal acts just to find another glimpse of herself. She couldn't cry in the afterlife, but she wanted to so badly. She wanted to speak to him, but that was not allowed. Her only comfort came from the other one waiting.

She was an irritable type, always grumbling as she watched her own beloved follow the same path of madness as Cyndia's.

"When is he going to get over me?" she would say. "When is he going to move on? Come on, she was cute. Why didn't you hook up with her? I'm dead. Forget about me."

So she said, but Cyndia knew better. The woman called Cadeline was only here because she was waiting for him. It made Cyndia feel a little bit lighter to know that she wasn't alone. They were both waiting.

Pegasus came to them first. If limbo had allowed tears, their reunion would have been tearful. The wait was over. Cyndia could go home with the person she loved.

But she decided to wait. To wait for Cadeline's own reunion. Pegasus hadn't minded. He, too, was amused by Cadeline's constant grumblings about her "Pandora," and besides, Pegasus was with Cyndia now. He had no reason to be unhappy.

Time passes strangely in the afterlife, and soon, a confused looking Pandora stumbled to them. It was an…_interesting_ reunion.

Pegasus and Cyndia watched as Cadeline marched over to her beau, punched him in the shoulder, shouted at him for about five minutes about making the wrong decisions…and then ripped off his mask and kissed him firmly on the lips.

Pandora's expression was so priceless that Pegasus and Cyndia couldn't help but laugh. The laughter lasted for well over a minute, or perhaps more. It was hard to tell in the afterlife.

The wait was over…

It was time to go home.

A/N: Mm-hm. I don't have anything to talk about for this one. Next is Regalshipping (Yami no Yugi x Mai).


	175. Regalshipping

_Regalshipping (Yami no Yugi x Mai)_

"Why would you do that?" Mai Kujaku asked, somewhat heatedly. "I lost to that guy fair and square! I didn't need your pity, and I won't take those star chips back!"

Yugi Mutou simply raised his eyebrows, still holding out the star chips he had won back from the Player Killer. The night was deep all around them, and Mai's nails dug into her palms.

The world champion continued to just look at her, his hand with the star chips outstretched. Mai's anger flared again. Who did he think he was? She didn't need his help!

"'Fair and square' is not the label I would give to that sorry excuse for an opponent," Yugi said, finally breaking the silence of the night. "I don't appreciate people who sneak about in the dark."

"I am _not_ a princess to be rescued," Mai said.

"Did I say you were?" he said.

"You're acting like it!"

"I think _you're_ projecting that onto me."

"Then why the hell would you insist on facing that guy and giving me my star chips back? I don't need your pity!"

Yugi's eyes met hers, eerie red eyes level and glinting in the darkness.

"This had nothing to do with pity," he said, and there was a deep, rich edge to his voice that gave Mai pause.

She hesitated. Yugi remained still, watching her.

She didn't understand him. Who was he? This boy, over six years younger than her and five inches shorter, radiated with a feeling that she could not remember encountering before. What was it? Was it the way he held himself? The way those strange red eyes pierced through her, like they saw more than she could ever guess at? There was something about him...something...

Regal, she decided. Although shorter and younger, he felt older and taller, like he took up more space. The richness of his voice, hardened with authority, was like that of a government official, or...or a king. It made Mai's heart and breath catch. He was...unlike anyone she had ever met before.

"If not pity..." she asked slowly. "Then what?"

He blinked. He seemed to consider the question.

"You...have a strong will...a powerful soul..." he said slowly. "And I could not stand by while a fool like him took you down through trickery and deceit. Not when I still want to face you."

Mai's breath paused. As a rule, she hated men. They were all the same. Brash, obnoxious, never taking her seriously...

But he was different. He wasn't judging her on her appearance, her gender, anything. He saw her as an opponent. Someone he wanted to be able to face in an honorable battle...

And she realized...she liked that feeling. She wanted to face him, too. She wanted to fight against this regal spirit. The way he had not stood for her loss, she would not stand for his.

It was going to be...an amazing battle...

A/N: Yu-Gi-Oh needs more female duelists, I think. And I don't count because I suck. Next is Refineshipping (Pegasus x Mai).


	176. Refineshipping

_Refineshipping (Pegasus x Mai)_

Mai made decisions about people quickly. The first time she saw multi-millionaire Pegasus J. Crawford while he explained the rules about Duelist Kingdom was no different.

She decided she didn't like him.

That wasn't about to change when she entered his eccentric castle for the Duelist Kingdom finals, and she wasn't too pleased about the seating arrangement at dinner. Pegasus was at the head of the table, and she was next to him at the end, with the only other person to talk to being Yugi sitting across from her. He didn't seem happy about the arrangement either, as could be figured out from her stiff shoulders and pointed looks to direct his conversation towards his friends.

So that left Mai to sit next to Pegasus.

"So, Mai Kujaku, wasn't it?" he said in smooth Japanese. "I'm very pleased to meet you…it's always wonderful to see a new face in the dueling world."

"Mm-hm," Mai said, focusing on her soup.

"How did you become interested in my little game, if I may ask?"

"I don't small talk, Crawford," she said.

Pegasus laughed lightly.

"Ah, you duelists. It is all right to relax for a bit, you know. Have a little fun – this is supposed to be a game, after all! And the tournament doesn't continue until morning."

Mai rolled her eyes and pretended not to listen. Pegasus didn't seem to be bothered by this, as he continued to chatter.

"I've heard a bit about you, you know. You won some of the biggest regional championships in Japan. It is a shame to have lost so close to qualifying for nationals. But the cards we draw determine how the game was played; I guess it just wasn't meant to be that day."

"I'm making up for it now."

Pegasus nodded, smiling cheerily as though excited to have gotten her to respond.

Mai chanced a glance at the wealthy American businessman. He sat at the table with the refined poise of a British nobleman; in fact, Mai was surprised he wasn't British. His long, silvery hair was absolutely ridiculous, and she had no idea how he'd go about finding such a ludicrously red suit.'

"So, are you ready for the finals tomorrow, Kujaku-san?" he said, continuing the conversation.

She shrugged.

"Good, good, good. You have quite the competition out there tomorrow. Little Yugi is becoming quite the accomplished gamer, I've heard."

"Mm-hm."

There was just something wrong about him, she thought. The way he would only look at her with one eye, the other one hidden beneath thick bangs. It was unnerving. Even more than that, it was…somehow sad.

Pegasus wasn't real, she realized. This cheerful conversation was nothing more than another puzzle piece in his mask.

He continued to chatter, and Mai gave him one last, cursory look.

Dammit. She hated men.

A/N: Can't believe anyone ships this… Next is Refuseshipping (Marik's dad x Rishid). Really? This is a thing?


	177. Refuseshipping

_Refuseshipping (Marik's dad x Rishid)_

_(Yeah…he doesn't have a name which makes writing this difficult…so I have decided to call Marik's father Aqila, since it's an Arabic name…)_

This was possibly…the most dangerous thing he had ever done. But it had to be done. For Marik's sake. For his own sake.

For the sake of the clan.

Rishid leaned against the wall, the cold stone calming him with its constant stability. The door was right beside him. He should go through, now, before he lost courage. But he could not move himself from the wall. He sighed, letting his head drop to his chest. It was humiliating to admit to himself, but he was terrified. He was about to face Aqila, the man who refused to believe he was anything more than trash, and try to convince him to bestow the greatest honor of their clan on Rishid instead of Marik.

Rishid would be lucky to get out of there with his life.

The creak of the bench brought Rishid out of his reverie, and a memory of a crying Marik in a corner brought his courage rushing back to him.

He had to do this.

Cautiously, quietly, he stepped into the opening.

Only candlelight illuminated the stone chamber, creating the eerie silhouette of Aqila's cowled form. He was bent over something on the table, writing with a quill. It snapped, and he swore softly, reaching for another.

Rishid made one more step into the room, trying to rehearse his words.

"What do you want?"

The harsh edge to the man's voice told Rishid that he already knew who was at the door. There was no turning back now. Rishid walked all the way into the room and inclined his head.

"Master," he said softly, because that was the only way he was allowed address Marik's father. "I have come to you for a request."

Aqila didn't even turn around. He barely even acknowledged the words. Rishid licked his dry lips and pushed forward.

"Marik…Marik is afraid of the initiation," he said. "He does not want to become the Tomb Keeper…"

"And your point is?"

The voice was like a whip, and Rishid flinched. But he had to go on. Slowly, he sank to his hands and knees, his face towards the floor.

"I…I would like to take the Tomb Keeper initiation in his stead," he said. "I am not afraid. I would like to take this burden for Marik –"

The motion was immediate. Aqila whipped around in his seat and flung the still lit candle at Rishid's back. Rishid flinched, but did not move from his place.

"_You_ want to take Marik's place?" Aqila said, his voice dripping with venom. "_You_? You're nothing more than a piece of refuse we picked up off the ground!"

Rishid stiffened, but he still did not move. That didn't last long, though, because Aqila stood up so quickly that the bench fell over, and then grabbed Rishid by his ponytail. Rishid cried out as Aqila yanked him upwards by the hair, forcing him to look into his hollow, deep-set eyes.

"You don't have the right to be considered a part of this family, much less take the most honored position our clan holds!" he said, and spit came with the words.

With a harsh arm, he flung Rishid to the ground. The wind rushed out of Rishid's lungs in a whoosh.

"Get out of my sight," Aqila spat. "And be grateful this is all you got off with. Don't even think about coming to me for this request again."

He turned, righted the bench, and sat down. It was as though the gasping boy on the ground behind him no longer existed.

The pain, physical, and emotional, brought faint tears to Rishid's eyes. He slowly pushed himself up, taking only a brief moment to regain his breath. Then, with a hurting deep in his chest that had nothing to do with being slammed against the floor, he shuffled from the room, and did not enter again.

A/N: Uwah, Rishid-senpai! D: Darn you Aqila, I'm almost glad that you got stabbed to death. Next is Redeemshipping (Pegasus x Yami no Yugi).


	178. Redeemshipping

_Redeemshipping (Pegasus x Yami no Yugi)_

"_Don't you know about the evil intelligence of the Millennium Items?"_

Those words would not stop echoing around his head. It was worst in the night, when there was nothing but darkness, silence, and the quiet, sleeping presence of his other self for it to echo around his mind.

"_Don't you know about the evil intelligence of the Millennium Items?"_

The evil intelligence of the Millennium Items? What had Pegasus meant? Had the American man realized exactly who he was facing at the time? Did he had any idea how those words might have affected him?

"_Don't you know about the evil intelligence of the Millennium Items?"_

The other Yugi could not sleep nights. Yugi's presence was comforting, but distant in his sleep. He could not burden his partner with these thoughts. But what was he? _Who_ was he? He was not Yugi, not even a different part of Yugi, he was a spirit locked inside of the Millennium Puzzle. Was he the "evil intelligence" of the Millennium Puzzle? Was he evil? Was he hurting Yugi somehow, in the way the Millennium Eye had driven Pegasus towards criminal acts? Sure, Yami no Yugi had always tried to protect Yugi...but Pegasus' acts were for a noble cause, too: to see someone he had lost forever.

"_Don't you know about the evil intelligence of the Millennium Items?"_

It was all he could do to simply survive every day. He should have let Pegasus and his words slip from his mind. He had just been another opponent, someone that should not dominate his mind. But now Pegasus was dead, and he could not ask him to clarify his words. He could not go back and try to seek some kind of redemption from the implication of those words. There was no one to redeem him, and there was no way to redeem Pegasus at all.

"_Don't you know about the evil intelligence of the Millennium Items?"_

He couldn't go a day without thinking about those words, and the broken silver haired man who had spoken them.

"Dammit," Yami no Yugi whispered.

A/N: I enjoyed this one. I enjoyed this one a lot. The quote comes from the manga version; I don't believe Pegasus said this in the dub or in the anime. Next is Reachshipping (Priestess Isis x Priest Karim).


	179. Reachshipping

_Reachshipping (Priestess Isis x Priest Karim)_

_(Well named...this pairing is quite a reach.)_

The orchards were in bloom the first day they met each other.

Karim was walking among the flowered trees, thinking about nothing except for the cool, constant presence of the Millennium Scales. He had heard that a newcomer had arrived to take the test of the Millennium Tauk. He considered going to see this newcomer, but the other Millennium Guardians were not allowed in the room while the test was being administered. More than one Item in the room could alter the affects of the test. He would hear soon enough if the hopeful had passed the test.

Sooner than he thought, it seemed.

He came around the path and paused. A figure stood ahead of him, silent and unmoving. Her back was to him – for it was a her, as could be told from the canvas dress that hugged her curved features. She wore a headdress, which flapped softly in the warm breeze. She stood so perfectly still that it seemed physically impossible.

His fingers slid to the Millennium Scales, wondering who this mysterious person might be. He thought he knew the faces and auras of those that were allowed to walk the gardens...was she an intruder? There was something fluid and strange about her aura, something placid and yet threatening. It was like the Nile, a powerful body of water that, although it appeared calm, could rise up and flood the land in an instant.

Before he could continue his train of thought, the woman shifted. Then she turned around to face Karim.

She was beautiful, with softly curved features, long eyelashes, and deep brown eyes. Her black hair peeked out through her headdress, seeming something even blacker now that the sunlight played across it. She spoke first.

"You must be...Karim," she said softly. Her tones were rich and velvety.

Karim inclined his head slightly.

"You know me," he said. "How is that?"

She pointed to the Item resting in his hand.

"You have...the scales," she said. She blinked, and her brow furrowed. "Please, excuse my rudeness. I am still...a bit dizzy from the magic's assimilation."

The sunlight glittered across gold, and Karim's eyes were drawn to the necklace that rest at her throat. It was none other than the Millennium Tauk. For a brief moment, Karim was struck speechless. So this was the newcomer, who had submitted to the tests of the Tauk? But she was a woman!

The woman shook her head softly.

"I see that I have surprised you," she said, and there was the hint of laughter in her voice. "Yes, indeed, a woman who has taken the test of the Millennium Tauk and succeeded. I must be quite confusing to you."

Embarrassment crept into Karim's chest. He should not have been so rude. What did it matter if she was a woman? The Millennium Tauk had chosen her, and the Millennium Items did not lie.

"My apologies," he said, bowing slightly. "I should not have been so uncouth in my thoughts. I am, as you have stated, Karim, the priest of the Scales. And you are?"

She, too, bowed to him.

"I am Isis," she said. "Priestess of the Tauk."

Isis...the goddess of magic.

It suited her.

A/N: Karim has no personality that I know if...so thus, crappy oneshot. Next is Razorshipping (Pandora x Yami no Yugi). Who comes up with these?


	180. Razorshipping

_Razorshipping (Pandora x Yami no Yugi)_

He wasn't really thinking about his opponent so much as he was thinking about the razors headed towards him. But when he did let his mind consider the masked man before him, it was only as an opponent who was trying to kill him, and nothing more.

He didn't feel sorry for the man until later, when in his madness he hugged at the mannequin and believed it to be his dead lover. Then, for a little while, he felt a twinge of sympathy for the broken man.

But he couldn't forget the razors. So he didn't feel too sorry.

A/N: I CAN DO NOTHING MORE WITH THIS. Next is...oh hey, I'm done with the R's! So next is Puzzleshipping (Yami no Yugi x Yugi).


	181. Puzzleshipping

_Puzzleshipping (Yami no Yugi x Yugi)_

_(This is a popular one…I'll do my best.)_

The darkness pressed on him, choked him, tangling him up and dragging him downwards into the night. He wanted to scream, but the shadows only swallowed his noises and pulled him deeper. He struggled, flailed, but there was no escaping it –

Yugi gave a muffled yelp and struggled upward. His blankets were tangled around him, causing him to almost fall out of bed. He lay still for a moment in the soft dimness of his room. His breaths came heavily, and he stared at the blankness of his ceiling as though to find comfort there. There was none, of course.

_"Yugi…are you all right?"_

Yugi blinked and sat up. The ghostly projection of Yami no Yugi appeared at the foot of his bed. Those burning red eyes were soft with concern, so very different from their usual harsh confidence. The darkness seemed to lift slightly, because all though no lights were on, he could see the form of the pharaoh easily.

"Oh, other me," Yugi said. "I'm sorry; did I wake you up?"

Yami no Yugi shrugged.

_"You were scared,"_ he said. _"I felt it…are you all right?"_

Yugi blushed slightly.

"I'm fine. It was just a bad dream."

_"It felt like quite the nightmare."_

"Mm…yeah…"

The silence grew between them for a long moment. Yugi glanced up at his other self. Yami no Yugi was no taller than Yugi, but he seemed to take up so much more space. There was a regality to his bearing; even just sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked like a king on a throne. And yet, right now, there was also a softness to his figure. It made Yugi feel better, less alone.

Yami no Yugi stood up and walked around to face Yugi.

_"You've been having these a lot lately, haven't you?"_

Yugi thought about saying no, but it wasn't like he could lie to someone in his head.

"Y-yeah…" he said sheepishly. "I used to have the same nightmare a lot when I was a kid…after my dad disappeared. I thought I was done with them after you came along, though."

Yami no Yugi's eyes softened. He put a hand on Yugi's forehead, and although he wasn't really there, Yugi could feel the warmth on his skin.

_"It's going to be okay, partner," _he said. _"I promise."_

Yugi just nodded.

_"Can you sleep now?"_

"I think so."

_"Good."_

They didn't move for a long moment. Then the projection of the pharaoh faded away, and Yugi slipped back under his covers. The darkness didn't feel so thick anymore. He didn't feel so alone. In fact, he actually felt sleepy. Usually the nightmare would keep him up all night.

"Good night, other me," he whispered.

Yami no Yugi didn't answer, but Yugi felt a warm presence tighten a bit more around him. His eyes closed, slowly. Somehow, he knew the nightmare wouldn't be bothering him again.

A/N: Well…how'd I do? I'll be honest with you guys, I don't support this shipping. In theory, it's adorable. But whenever I read fanfictions where these two are actually in a relationship and/or are more directly romantic towards each other, it never feels quite right to me. I think if this as more of a brotherly relationship. They really care for each other, but it's not romantic, as far as I'm concerned. Contrary to popular belief, you can be willing to die for someone that you're not "in love" with. Next is Pushshipping (Noa x Seto x Otogi).


	182. Pushshipping

_Pushshipping (Seto x Otogi x Noa)_

"Seto, where are we going?"

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

"Well, I can't call you Kaiba because that's _my_ surname, not yours."

"...Shut up."

"See, you're not even denying it."

"Noa, shut up."

"If I can't call you Seto, you can't call me Noa. Now where are we going?"

"_I'm_ going to Otogi Game Shop to find Mokuba. _You_ just decided to invite yourself along."

"Hey, I'm looking for Mokuba too. But Domino looks different than I remember; I don't know where anything is."

"...would you please be quiet?"

Seto sent a half-hearted glower at the short green-haired boy. Why was he here again? He had no idea where he had come from – after all, he was supposed to have died almost seven years ago. Noa folded his arms and raised an eyebrow back at him. He didn't look older than ten, but he should have been sixteen or seventeen by now. Seto just shook his head and muttered something inappropriate about Gozaburo Kaiba, then continued to walk towards Otogi Game Shop. Mokuba had been hanging around there a lot lately; it was his best bet as to where his younger brother was. He hadn't been answering his phone, and Seto needed him there during this next business meeting, since he was the vice president and all.

Noa...he wasn't sure why Noa had come along. It was no secret that they didn't like each other. They spent most of their time trying to avoid running into each other even though they lived in the same house. For his part, though, he remained silent on the rest of the way up to the game shop, something that Seto was grateful for.

The doors slid open automatically and Seto stepped in. It was a far cry from Kame Game Shop. Instead of the cramped, unorganized and dusty room of Yugi's grandfather's shop, this store was streamlined and modern. The walls were taken up with giant glass windows that showed off the store's vast selection. The tile floor was sparkling clean, and the metal shelving formed orderly rows that were clearly labeled as to the items they carried. Seto glanced around disinterestedly. Noa attempted to do the same, but there was a child-like sparkle in his eyes that he was unable to fully quench.

It was a clear shot to the front desk, and the boy standing behind it glanced up. Seto felt like he should know him from somewhere, but the how and why slipped his mind. The boy was slender, almost effeminate in build, with long, styled black hair pulled back in a ponytail. His oddly green eyes were striking, visible even from this distance.

"Oh, hello," he said, putting down the magazine he had been looking at. "Seto Kaiba-san, isn't it? What can I help you with?"

Seto wasn't too surprised that the boy knew who he was – running a game shop, he probably knew the CEO of Kaiba Corp.

"Is Mokuba here?" Seto asked. "He said he'd been coming here a lot."

"Mokuba? Oh, right. No, he just left a few minutes ago. He said he had to get back home for a meeting or something, and his phone battery was dead so he had to hurry."

Seto rolled his eyes. Typical. He nodded once to the boy at the desk and stated to turn around. Then he realized Noa was gone. He sent a cursory glance around the store for the green haired boy. Dammit, why did he have to watch out for the little brat, anyway?

He finally saw Noa in the computer games aisle. He considered just leaving for a moment, but then decided against it. He walked over to where Noa was checking the back of one of the cases.

"Are you finished?" he asked, somewhat irritably. "I do have a meeting in about five minutes."

Noa looked up at him with half-closed eyes, his face obviously saying 'does it look like I care?'

"You don't have to wait for me," Noa said.

"Weren't you just saying that you don't know your way around Domino?"

Noa shrugged, although a bit of uneasiness crossed his face.

"I'll manage."

Seto rolled his eyes.

"Fine, stay here, then," Seto said. "I won't come back to find you if you get lost."

Seto turned sharply and stalked from the aisle, accidentally pushing past the store clerk as he did so.

"Oops, sorry," the boy said, but Seto ignored him.

He tried to ignore what was going on behind him, but he paused as he heard Noa start a conversation with the store clerk.

"Hey, so you must be Noa-san, right?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

"Mokuba talks about you a lot. I figured since you were with Kaiba-san, and you had green hair, you must be him."

"Really? Mokuba talks about me?"

The clerk laughed a little bit.

"It's okay; it's all good stuff," he said. "I'm Otogi. Ryuji Otogi."

"Oh, so you run the store?"

"Yeah."

"Does Mokuba come here a lot?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"What do you guys do?"

"Just play games, mostly. He likes Capsule Monsters, and he says no one will play with him at home."

"...he's never asked me..."

Seto really paused now. Mokuba had never asked him to play Capsule Monsters either...why was that?

"Really? Huh," Otogi said. "I wonder why."

Seto glanced behind him. Noa wasn't looking at the computer games anymore. His eyes were elsewhere. For just the barest moment, Seto thought he knew what he was thinking – because it was the same thing Seto was thinking.

_Mokuba...I don't really...stick around you enough, do I?_

Seto sighed. He didn't want to admit it but...he and the brat had a little too much in common.

"Hey!" he said.

Noa glanced up, blinking with surprise. Otogi looked up, too.

"Are you going to buy that game, Noa? Then hurry up, let's get moving. Mokuba's waiting."

Noa started at him for a moment, as though shocked that Seto was still there. Then he snapped out of it.

"Fine, whatever," Noa said, rolling his eyes. "But I thought you weren't supposed to call me Noa."

"I'll call you whatever I want to call you."

"Same goes for me, _Seto._"

The brothers turned out of the store still arguing. Otogi watched them go. Then he chuckled a little bit.

Brothers. They wouldn't call themselves that, yet. But it would probably happen eventually. They just needed a little push.

A/N: Otogi didn't play a really big role in this one...this is hard. Next is...oh no...why so soon?...sigh...*practically growls* _Puppyshipping (Seto x Jonouchi)._ Puppyshippers...I deeply apologize. You probably won't like this next chapter.


	183. Puppyshipping

_Puppyshipping (Seto x Jonouchi)_

_(A super popular one...and my least favorite shipping ever. Sigh...here goes nothing...)_

I hated him. I hated him more than I could possibly put into words. I hated him even more _because_ I hated him so much. He wasn't even worth my notice. I shouldn't have put so much energy into hating someone that could never reach my level. He wasn't worth the time it took to glare at him. Yugi was my main goal; everyone else around him should have been secondary.

So why did I hate him so much?

He was brash. Reckless. Overconfident. He rushed into things he thought he could handle and was thrown back against the wall. He thought too highly of himself, and when someone brought him back down to size, it took a crane to pull himself back up again. He was a delinquent and a thug, someone who got into fights on the street because they had looked at him the wrong way. He was barely different from any other common gang member; in fact, he had probably been a gang member at one point. He was hopelessly dopey, like a dog that never gave up, and yet could never be better than its owner. He was the opposite of me, and he knew it. He wanted to switch our places, but he could never make it there. He was just too far down the ladder to cross the distance. I had met hundreds of people like him, and they slipped my mind as soon as they were out of sight.

But not him. Because he wasn't just that, either.

He was on fire. There was a determination in his eyes that was beyond that of someone trying to scrape their way to the top. When he went down, he would come back up. It might take him a long time, but he would get up eventually. He was recklessly protective: the kind of person that would throw themselves in front of a train to save someone. He believed in some kind of higher moral order, that things had a certain rightness or wrongness to them. For him, the world was governed by these rules, and people who thought that the rules didn't apply to them would eventually be brought down by justice. He would fight a hundred people just to keep his ideals, turn against the wheel that was the world and shout defiance against the cold reality that said there was no virtue in this world.

Why did I hate him? Why?

Because when I looked at him, I saw myself: younger, with an unwavering determination and faith that thing would all turn out right. I saw the part of myself that was lost, beaten out of me by the monster that called himself my "father."

I resented him that.

And so I would always hate him for it.

A/N: Yep. I guess it wasn't too bad considering my overall hatred for this pairing. Honestly, though, I can't see this becoming a real relationship...EVER. I think they'd both commit suicide first. Their relationship is one of trying to best each other; for another example, I would say its similar to Renji and Byakuya from Bleach. Renji is lowborn and explosive, Byakuya is an extremely powerful nobleman. Renji devotes his life to surpassing Byakuya; there is no room for much more feelings for him than that. In the same way, Jonouchi wants to surpass Kaiba. Kaiba is like an obstacle to him, or at most, a goal to reach. It's never going to be romantic, because neither of them have room for much more than that. Next is Puppetshipping (Marik x Strings).


	184. Puppetshipping

_Puppetshipping (Marik x Strings)_

He found the emaciated figure huddled in an alley. His ringed fingers clutched at his bald head, leaving nail marks in the pale skin. Wide, bloodshot eyes stared at nothing as he trembled.

He was a disturbing sight to Marik, in his stereotypical "emo" look, thick eyeliner, almost white face, and many piercings. He looked rather like a mime. But he also looked broken, alone, and terrified. It was as though something had been ripped from his soul and he would never recover from the wound.

"Hello," Marik said softly.

Like a mime, the boy did not answer. He didn't even look up at Marik. Marik's fingers tightened around the Millennium Rod, feeling a sense of foreboding.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "Is there something I can help you with?"

It was an old, canned line. He had used it many times before in recruiting Ghouls to his cause. If he could just find what they wanted, it was easy enough to coax them into the organization.

But again, the boy did not answer or stir. He appeared to be nothing more than a statue. Or...Marik considered thoughtfully. A puppet.

He tested the waters with the magic of his Item. Careful layers of magic fell like dust over the boy's head, and Marik walked into his mind.

He was shocked at the sight. Every single box was closed tightly. Even the boxes for everyday, normal activities were closed. How could he continue to function? It was a wonder this boy was still breathing.

The rod's magic tightened easily around the empty mind. Usually, when he took over a mind, the victim would suffer convulsions. It was the body's natural mechanism, both resisting and adjusting to the new controller. But it was not so with this boy. He did not stir. He didn't even blink. It was as though he were already dead. It gave Marik a cause to wonder what could make him so dead inside. Perhaps he would take a look in a few of the boxes...

But later, he affirmed. There were more important things to be done.

He withdrew from the boy's mind. It was startling to see that nothing appeared to have changed. The boy was indeed a mime – and now, only a puppet.

Yet there was something distinctly unsatisfying about the whole endeavor, Marik thought. There was something...wrong about it.

He shook the feelings off with distaste at himself. He had no time to be debating morality.

With a gesture, he made the boy stand up and follow him. It was only then that Marik considered what the boy's name was.

Well. It didn't matter. He would call him...Strings. Because he was a puppet, after all.

A/N: Why anyone would ship this is beyond me. Next is Pullshipping (Keith x Yami no Bakura x Marik).


	185. Pullshipping

_Pullshipping (Keith x Yami no Bakura x Marik)_

Yami no Bakura watched the scene unfold with a careless eye. The Millennium Puzzle lay almost unprotected, hanging from the side of the battle arena. His fingers twitched with anticipation, but he stilled it. There was no way he could slip the Puzzle away unawares. After all, Yugi was standing in the battle box right beside it, and the chain was looped through a stake. It would take the thief time to release it from its holds, and by that time, Yugi would notice him and his perfect disguise as the harmless Ryo would be lost.

His eyes wandered across to Yugi's opponent. At the sight, his lips curled with distaste. He remembered this man, although he wasn't sure why he was wasting precious brain space to do so.

Keith Howard was unshaven and smelled horrible even from this distance. The dulled eyes did nothing to help his lack of charm, and he looked absolutely ridiculous in that purple cloak. Really, an organization that identified itself with something as pretentious as a cloak was really pushing the limits of Bakura's patience. The mere existence of Keith irked him, and irked him that it irked him.

Perhaps it had been because of his jab during Duelist Kingdom. He had been quite...unhappy when the man pulled on his hair. If only Ryo had allowed him a moment of control; he would have disposed of Keith in an instant and saved all of this trouble.

Of course, Keith was not smart enough to plan something like this, even if this whole plan was a stupid idea. Why bother to play a card game for the Puzzle when he had already had it? The answer had to lie with Keith's master. Yami no Bakura turned his attention to his own Millennium Ring. He sent webs of magic outward, tracing the spell on Keith and following it back to...

Yami no Bakura smiled eerily. Ah, a Tombkeeper. Only a Tombkeeper could add such a distinctive taste to the magic. That would explain why he chose to duel for the Puzzle, even though it was already in his grasp. After all, Keith would not know that a Millennium Item's abilities were halved unless the Item was won from the previous owner. But a Tombkeeper would.

Yami no Bakura considered the flair of the Tombkeeper's magic hold over Keith.

Then a slow smile crossed his lips.

Perhaps he would...introduce himself to this little Tombkeeper.

Bakura sent out another web of magic, but this one was not a simple tracker. This one was an inhibitor. It fell thickly across Keith's mind. Instantly, the man was confused. It was almost anticlimactic for Bakura. Keith himself didn't struggle at all; his mind submitted instantly. No, the real challenge came from the Tombkeeper, struggling to retain control over his slave.

The twin magics pulled on Keith for a moment, like an invisible game of tug o' war in which Keith was the rope. But that single moment was a moment too long for the fragile mind of Keith Howard. His remaining sanity shattered. With a cry, the man leaped out of the battle arena and struggled weakly for an escape from the madness setting in around him. Bakura almost laughed at his frantic attempts to escape himself.

Then, a sudden rush of magic alerted him to the presence of another. His mysterious Tombkeeper opponent was here, searching with his magic for Bakura...

Bakura glanced to both sides. When he looked forward again, he was struck suddenly with the sight of furious violet eyes. The image faded instantly. Bakura smirked. The foolish boy. He had tried to scry Bakura and managed only a glimpse, and given Bakura a glimpse in return.

Bakura considered those violet eyes in his mind again, as Keith continued to scream below him.

Bakura ignored the screams. The fire in those eyes was much more interesting to think about...

A/N: Well, I thought this was an interesting way to incorporate the shipping name. Next is Puffshipping (Jonouchi x Ryo). Wait...puff? Are they referring to the fact that Ryo is an adorable cream puff? O.O Fangirl senses at maximum levels!


	186. Puffshipping

_Puffshipping (Jonouchi x Ryo)_

Few people realized it, but Ryo was actually a very good cook. Living alone, he had to make do somehow. He could have settled for take-out and frozen food, but he didn't have enough to do at home as it was. The busier he kept himself, the less time he had to remember the bad memories. So he spent an extraordinary amount of time cooking. Finding new recipes became habit for him, and habit became hobby. Soon, cooking and Monster World were competing as his favorite pastime.

Of course, once he became closer with Yugi and the others, he didn't have as much alone time to fill anymore. And even the alone time stopped being as terrible. But that didn't stop him from enjoying cooking, possibly even more than before.

The doorbell rang, and Ryo looked up from where he was mixing batter. He wiped his hands on his apron and padded over to the door. His heart lightened significantly: Yami no Bakura had been gone for months, and all of the craziness was over. And now, he was having his friends over at his house for the first time since the Monster World fiasco.

He opened the door and found Jonouchi standing awkwardly outside.

"Hello, Jonouchi-kun," Ryo said, surprised.

"Hey, what's that look for?" Jonouchi said suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just shocked that you're the first one here, that's all."

"Hey, I'm actually pretty good about being on time, believe or not."

Ryo opened the door all the way so that Jonouchi could come in. The lanky blond boy slipped off his shoes and stepped in. He glanced both ways, and up the hallway.

"Is something wrong?" Ryo asked, closing the door.

"Naw, nothing. I just wasn't sure what to expect, I guess. I couldn't really remember your house from the last time I was here."

"Oh, right," Ryo said. "Well, its not much to speak of, I guess."

Jonouchi shrugged.

"At least it's clean. Better than my place. We got beer bottles all over the place – and I'm pickin' 'em up every single day."

Ryo grimaced in sympathy. Then he caught a whiff of the kitchen and remember he had stuff in the oven.

"I have to get the food out of the oven," he said. "You can come along, if you want."

Jonouchi did so, following the white haired boy into the kitchen. The blond boy's face lit up at the smell of food.

"Damn, that smells good," he said. "I didn't know you were a chef, Ryo."

Ryo laughed a little.

"Well, I didn't know you could be on time," he said. "So I guess we're even."

He pulled the fish from the oven and set on the counter to cool. He turned around in time to see Jonouchi sneaking a fingerful of the cream. Ryo smacked him on the shoulder playfully with his oven mitt.

"Hey, don't get your germs in there," he said.

"It looked good," Jonouchi said sheepishly. "And it is! Really good. What is it?"

His face was so clueless that Ryo couldn't help but laugh.

"It's cream. For the cream puffs I'm making," he said.

"Cream puffs? Isn't that a little girly?"

"They were my sister's favorite," Ryo said offhandedly, returning to his batter.

Jonouchi was silent for a moment.

"Oh..." he said softly. "Sorry."

"Huh?" Ryo looked up. He suddenly realized that he had made Jonouchi feel guilty by bringing up his sister. "Oh, don't be sorry, Jonouchi-kun! I didn't mean to make you feel like that."

"No, but really, I am sorry," Jonouchi said. He turned slightly red. "It's just – I forget, sometimes, that you had a sister, ya know? And I don't know what I'd do without Shizuka. I feel bad sometimes, that's all, that I don't really notice stuff about you."

Ryo blinked at Jonouchi. He was surprised – he hadn't known Jonouchi had become so sensitive. Then Ryo smiled softly.

"Oh, stop frowning, it's fine," Ryo said. "Really. I'm getting better. I promise. And it's because of you, Yugi, Anzu, Honda, and everyone. Because you all stuck with me even when you weren't sure if my Yami half was the real Bakura or not."

Jonouchi rubbed the back of his neck, still looking a little miffed. Ryo laughed softly.

"Really. Stop frowning. You don't look right without that stupid smile on your face."

"What? My smile ain't stupid!"

Ryo laughed aloud this time, and even Jonouchi grinned a bit foolishly. Then he paused and looked around the kitchen.

"Hey, Ryo," Jonouchi said. "That nail on the wall. What's that for?"

"That? I don't know. I think the previous owners left it there."

"Good, so nothing goes there?"

"No. Why?"

Jonouchi reached into his bag and dug around for a little while. Then he pulled a thick frame from the depths of his book bag, turned around, and hung something on the wall.

"Yep," he said. "That looked like a good place for it."

"For what?" Ryo said.

He stepped around Jonouchi to see. Then he stopped, speechless for a moment.

Jonouchi had hung a picture frame on the wall. Ryo recognized the photo inside – it was a day not too long ago, when Anzu had insisted that they all squeeze into a photo booth together and try to take a picture. Honda had nearly fallen out, and the picture was almost blurry because they had been laughing and moving so much.

"I went and made a bunch of copies," Jonouchi said. "I was gonna wait until everybody else got here to give it to ya, but then I thought that this apartment of yours needs some cheerin' up right now. So, whaddya think?"

Ryo stared at the picture for a moment longer. Then he shook his head.

"Something wrong?" Jonouchi said anxiously.

Ryo laughed, and smiled brightly at Jonouchi.

"No, nothing's wrong," Ryo said. "In fact, I think everything's right."

A/N: Aw, wasn't that cute? Much better than stupid Puppyshipping. Next is Puddleshipping (Ryota x Kisara).


	187. Puddleshipping

_Puddleshipping (Kisara x Ryouta)_

Ryouta Kajiki loved water. He lived and breathed it. The ocean was his whole life, his very being. He couldn't remember a time when it wasn't such a big part of him. Any time he found himself too far away from the ocean, he would become shaky and dizzy. Water was his lifeblood, and he could not forsake it for any reason, not even the death of his father.

But there was just something about rain puddles. Something he didn't like.

He scuffled down the wet street, clad in his rain boots and poncho, kicking at rocks as he found them. Not that there were many; most had been washed away by the torrents of rain from this morning. Worms lay dying on the concrete, some wriggling lethargically in the water. Ryouta wrinkled his nose at the small, slimy creatures. The sun was starting to break through the clouds, now. That was good. T had been gloomy for the past couple of weeks, and Ryouta hadn't been able to go out fishing for fear of the storms coming in.

He kept his eyes trained firmly on the ocean in the distance, at the end of the road he walked on. He tried to ignore the stagnant puddles of water around him, and the annoying, lingering smell of rain that for some reason bothered him. He didn't quite understand his dislike of rain's footprints himself. He liked rain well enough. It was a nice feeling to stand underneath a pouring raincloud and feel the water rushing down all around him, like the ocean on land. But the aftereffects...with the rain soaked streets and the puddles and dying worms left behind...he didn't like it. He had never liked splashing through puddles like his fellow classmates in elementary school had. He had avoided them like the plague, instead. He had gotten teased a lot about that.

_Sploosh._

The sound drew Ryouta from his thoughts. He glanced behind him to find its source.

A girl stood in a puddle, absolutely dripping wet. Her canvas colored dress clung to her curves in the way only water soaked fabric could. Long white hair, nearly blue in this light, drooped across her back and in her eyes. It looked as though someone had just dumped a bucket of water on her. But where had she come from? He hadn't heard her before.

She stood, barefoot in the puddle for a moment. Ryouta found himself staring. He couldn't help it. What was she doing, and where were her shoes? Her bangs fell over her eyes, so he couldn't see her expression.

Then, without a word, she stepped out of the puddle. She walked smoothly, almost like she was floating, to another puddle. Then, tentatively, she put one bare foot into the water, and then the next. She stood absolutely still once standing in the puddle. She didn't make a sound.

Ryouta could only stare. What was wrong with this girl? Was she all right? He had never seen her in town before, and that was saying something. This town was tiny; plus, she was fair skinned. She had to be a foreigner, but what kind of tourist walked around without shoes into puddles? He tried to open his mouth to speak, and found no words coming out. He tried several times to ask her what she was doing, and each time found that his words didn't want to come out right.

The girl pushed her hand through her hair – the first movement he had seen out of her since she left the other puddle. She pushed her wet bangs out of her eyes, and he found them to be a beautiful, coursing blue.

"We didn't have a lot of water like this, back home," she said, suddenly. "I've never seen so much water before. It's...beautiful."

And just like that, she was gone.

Ryouta's mouth hung open slightly. Had he really seen what he thought he had just seen? She had been there one minute, and not there the next. Was he dreaming? Imagining things?

He edged toward the puddle she had been standing in and glanced down at it, as if it would show some sign of her passing.

He saw nothing. Nothing except the reflection of the blue sky, as blue as her eyes...

A/N: Well. This one was...ah, interesting. I think Kisara just likes freaking people out. That, and she likes the feeling of being soaked with water. Next is...oh, mother of Madoka...Psychoshipping (Yami no Marik x Yami no Bakura). I'm...kind of afraid...


	188. Psychoshipping

_Psychoshipping (Yami no Marik x Yami no Bakura)_

_(Bakura's thoughts about Yami no Marik interspersed with scenes from their duel in Battle City...with some Y. Marik thoughts at the end.)_

He was an absolute psychopath. That was what Yami no Bakura enjoyed the most about him.

_The maniacal laughter echoed across the night sky. For some reason, it brought an anticipatory grin to Bakura's face._

_"What are you smiling about?" the soul of Marik hissed at him._

_"Oh," Bakura said, meeting the flat violet eyes of his opponent. "Nothing."_

He couldn't help it. There was something absolutely _fascinating_ about the strange, young spirit. Born of hatred, bathed in blood...it was a heritage that Bakura could only admire. The wild madness of those crazed, flat purple eyes burned into him like fire brands, and he relished the feeling.

_The darkness swirled around them, tightening its strangling hold around the opponents. The tension could have been cut with a knife, pressing in as it did on the two overly anticipatory spirits. Harsh cries of trapped souls that only Bakura could hear simply heightened his elation further. Now this...this was a real duel._

It was a pity, really. If only Bakura had met Yami no Marik instead of Marik. That alliance might have been so much more enjoyable. Even before the duel had started, their spiritual pressures warred against each other. Trying to see who would crack first. It was exhilarating. Bakura wished the feeling could have lasted longer.

_Wind howled past the duelists, carrying the heavy scent of monsters – real monsters – with it. This was not an ordinary duel. This was not the simple, annoying, fake games Yami no Bakura had to play in order to advance his plans. No, this was a real, spiritual game in which the loser faced death._

If not for the god, Yami no Bakura might have had him. It was a rather frustrating end, actually. He had not been able to do much more than watch Marik's soul dissolved beside him, and wait for the shadows to consume himself. If not for the god...if not for the game, even...if they had played a real Shadow Game, Bakura would have had him. For not even a creature born of hatred and shadows could have defeated the ruler of those shadows quite so easily.

_Light split the sky as the god revealed itself. Screaming its challenge to the heavens, the great dragon descended upon the field. The presence of it was extraordinary. It was so thick and heavy that Bakura could hardly move. He could do nothing as his opponent merged with the best and cackled down at him. He could do nothing as the fire burned the last of his life away._

He was a psychopath. But then, that was what made him so endearing.

**_He laughed. He laughed as he disappeared. It was so amusing, that I couldn't help but laugh as well. That dark, sadistic smile gleamed at me until he had completely dissolved, and I experienced the delicious feeling of being marked for death by my since gone opponent. We understood each other, him and I. I could feel that. I never thought I had truly beaten him – relished the idea that he was still around. And I couldn't help but feel excited for when we would meet again...and the darkness, pain, and blood would spill between our battle..._**

A/N: I had waaaay too much fun writing this one. I don't think I'm allowed to write from a villain's perspective anymore, I'm starting to scare myself. Anyway, next is Psycheshipping (Mai x Roba). Hm.


	189. Psycheshipping

_Psycheshipping (Mai x Esper Roba)_

_(First person perspective of Mai.)_

Oh, great. Another one. And by that I mean another loser trying to psyche me out by pretending that they're psychic. No, I'm not a hypocrite. I gave up that magic trick a while ago. It's about time everybody else followed suit, too.

Oh god, he's stupid. Interesting how he doesn't know what my cards are when I tilt my hand just like this... Yep. Yeah, I thought so. I can see those kids with the binoculars on the building over there. And I can see the ear piece, too. Geez. Kids. They always think they can fool everyone. Well, I'll show this kid that you can't mess with Mai Kujaku. I used to play those tricks myself, and I know there's no such thing as ESP. Seriously. I wish everyone would just get over themselves by now.

Oh, well, I just drew my Harpie's Pet Dragon. Psychic or not, I don't see how he's going to mess up this plan. It's not like he can stop me with any of those face downs of his. I've got plenty of tricks up my sleeve that don't involve pretending to be psychic...

A/N: Yeah. Not very interested in writing this one. Next is Protectshipping (Honda x Ryo).


	190. Protectshipping

_Protectshipping (Ryo x Honda)_

_He woke up in an alleyway for the third time that week. Sitting up told him that his ribs were bruised, and walking back onto the street told him that his ankle was twisted. The scared, quick looks downward from the people that passed him told him that his face was messed up terribly again._

"We have a new student today," Chouno-sensei announced. "Come in, Bakura-san."

The doors slid open, and the sound made Honda stir from his dream. Jonouchi smacked him on the back of the head and he woke up fully.

"What the hell?" Honda hissed.

"New student, man!" Jonouchi hissed back. "You don't want to sleep through this!"

Honda sat up, slumping back in his chair to watch with disinterest. The new student appeared through the door, walking softly as though floating. For a moment, Honda thought it was a girl. But then he realized the student was wearing the boy's uniform, and he couldn't help but stare.

The boy was not very tall, fair skinned. His long, unnaturally white hair fell past his shoulders. Most striking, however, were his vibrant green eyes…eyes that, while calm and kind, seemed…guarded, somehow. Honda's first thought was: he's a bully magnet.

_He managed to make it to school in time for the first bell. That kid sent him a nervous look, but dropped his eyes back to his desk as soon as he caught Honda's eyes. Honda scowled slightly. Some thanks from that kid, after he had just gotten his ass kicked protecting him. Not that he was surprised. They were all like that. Everyone he tried to help ended up being afraid of him._

_That was just how it worked._

The new kid, Ryo Bakura, ended up sitting next to Jonouchi. Jonouchi, naturally, brought him over to join the rest of the group at lunch.

"Hey, so let me introduce you to everyone," Jonouchi said. "This is Anzu Mazaki, Yugi Mutou, and Hiroto Honda."

"Pleased to meet you," Ryo said with a small, polite smile.

He was a quiet kid, Honda thought. Kind of shy, maybe. Anzu asked Ryo a little bit about his old school, which Ryo answered politely and with as few words as possible. Jonouchi started talking to Yugi about the game shop, and Honda joined in. He wanted to know if the new shipment of Monster Fighter had come in yet.

"Oh, you have a game shop, Mutou-san?" Ryo asked.

"Yeah, it's my grandpa's," Yugi said. "Do you like games?"

Ryo smiled, and Honda thought it might be the first real smile he had seen out of the kid all day.

"I love games," he said. "My favorites are role-playing games. Have you ever heard of Monster World?"

The chatter about games might have continued if not for the girls that came to spirit Ryo away. Ryo looked a bit miffed at being surrounding by a bunch of fawning girls, but was polite enough to go with them for a tour of the school. Honda and the others turned back to a discussion about what was new at the game shop, and for games in general. Yugi seemed to know a lot about that Monster World Ryo had mentioned, and filled the rest of them in on the details.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom," Honda said. "Be right back."

"Hurry, Honda, the bell will ring in a few minutes," Anzu said.

"Geez, you don't have to act like my mother."

"But that's Anzu's specialty!" Jonouchi said, which earned him a resounding crack on the head from Anzu. "Ow!"

Honda laughed and headed out into the hallway.

He had been in the hall for only a few seconds when he heard harsh tones that could only mean one thing.

_He shouldn't have done it. But he hadn't had a choice. He was lucky that he didn't get expelled for what he did. But he couldn't just stand there and watch a girl get raped by her teacher. He had burst into the classroom, socked the guy on the jaw, and hurried the girl back out into the hallway. The girl avoided him after that, always dropping her gaze upon coming across Honda in the halls. Someone told him that she had told her friends she was scared Honda's actions would get her expelled._

_It had made Honda sick._

_The teacher nearly had him expelled, but that would have meant he would have had to explain why Honda punched him in the first place, and why the girl had been there. Honda was lucky to pass with that teacher automatically failing every one of his assignments._

_He promised himself he would never bother to protect anyone ever again._

"I don't know how your old school worked, but we have _rules_ here at Domino!" Karita said. "Long hair for boys is against the rules!"

"Sensei, I –"

"No excuses!"

Honda chanced a glance around the corner. The gym teacher, Karita had grabbed Ryo by the hair. Pain flared in Ryo's green eyes, and the girls around him squeaked and chattered in protest and nerves.

"I'll expect you to have a crew cut by tomorrow if you want to be treated as a student of this school!"

Karite punctuated each word with a yank of Ryo's hair. Ryo flinched with each tug. Honda's fists clenched and his chest tightened.

Well godammit.

He marched around the corner. The sound of his footsteps caught Karita's attention, and the man glanced up. He glared at Honda.

"What are you doing out of class?"

"Bathroom."

Honda stood there, meeting Karita's eyes. He itched to punch that guy in the face, but tried to restrain himself. Ryo and the girls stared in surprise. Finally, Karita dropped the gaze, and let go of Ryo's hair.

"Bah! Whatever."

He stalked away. The girls instantly clustered around Ryo, asking him if he was okay. Ryo reassured them with a few words, then met Honda's gaze. Honda shrugged. Ryo smiled slightly – in gratitude.

And Honda couldn't help but grin.

A/N: Hey, wow, a long one for once. I saw how popular this pairing is (for some reason I won't understand) and decided to try and put a little more effort into it. I've always seen Honda as kind of a broken justice fighter for some reason. I have this headcanon that while he was in middle school, he tried to protect people, but usually ended up beaten and unthanked, thus turning him into the thug that he was at the beginning of the story. I think that's why Yugi made such an impression on Honda, because being with Yugi let Honda's true protective nature shine through. Next is Prophetshipping (Ishizu x Roba).


	191. Prophetshipping

_Prophetshipping (Ishizu x Esper Roba)_

_(some years before Battle City. Roba's younger siblings are not quite as helpful as they are during Battle City because they're younger.)_

The museum had been a bad idea. Roba couldn't keep track of his siblings, and some people were starting to give them dirty looks.

"Sh!" Roba said to the baby on his back. "The museum is not a playground! Ryori, don't climb on the dinosaur skeleton! Kyouto, those are not meant to be touched!"

After a little bit more scolding, his two younger brothers sheepishly returned to him. Roba sighed. The museum was free, and he thought it might be something nice to do on a Sunday afternoon, instead of playing Candy Land over and over. He had thought wrong.

No sooner had his brothers returned to him than Sojuro started crying. Roba pulled the baby in front of him and rocked him, trying to get him to quiet down, but his cries only grew louder. Inevitably, an angry woman stalked over to him.

"Can't you keep that child quiet? You are disturbing the other patrons!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Roba said, still bouncing Sojuro.

"You shouldn't bring small children with you to places like this if they can't keep quiet!" the woman said. "Don't make me call the museum staff!"

"Please, I didn't mean to bother anyone, I'll just leave…"

"Hey, don't be mean to our big brother! He's doing the best he can!" Ryori said.

"You shouldn't talk back to your elders!" the woman said.

"Boys," Roba said warningly.

"Well, you shouldn't act like you deserve to be talked back to!" Kyouto said.

"Boys!" Roba said.

The woman's eyes narrowed with anger. Her mouth open again, when a soft voice interrupted her.

"Is there a problem here?"

Esper Roba looked up with surprise to see the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

She was tall and slender, her soft, gentle curves accentuated by the long, canvas colored dress she wore. Long black hair fell silkily down her back, the front strands held in place with gleaming golden bands. Coffee brown eyes looked out from a softly curved, tanned face. Her hands were folded gently before her, and her gaze was gentle but firm. But what caught Roba's eyes the most was the golden eye that she wore around her neck…

It took the woman a moment to recover herself.

"These boys were being disruptive," she finally managed.

"Oh? How so?"

"They were loud, and raucous!" the woman said.

"Is that so? And how has that made your experience unenjoyable?"

The woman didn't seem to have an answer for this. Her mouth opened and closed several times. Then she shook her head and stalked away. Even Roba's brothers were speechless, except for Sojuro, who was still crying. The foreign woman looked down at them. She smiled gently. A soft hand touched Sojuro's forehead.

"There, there," she said.

Like magic, Sojuro stopped crying. Roba stared at the woman in awe.

"W-who are you?" he said. Then he realized how impolite that sounded and corrected himself. "I'm sorry. Thank you, for that."

She shook her head, still smiling.

"It's fine. I saw you were having trouble with your brothers, and I thought you were being unfairly prosecuted for your efforts to hold your family together. That is all."

"T-thank you all the same."

The woman nodded again.

"I hope you are enjoying the history," she said. "There is magic in these old places, you know. You just have to look close enough to see it."

Roba could only nod dumbly. She smiled again.

"Have a nice day, Roba-san," she said, and with a flick of her canvas dress, she disappeared down a hallway.

Roba's mouth hung open. His brothers were all quiet for a moment. Then Ryori piped up.

"Nii-san…how did she know your name?"

Roba shook his head slowly.

"I don't know…" he said. "She must be…psychic."

A/N: And I have given Roba an excuse to become interested in psychic powers, which will come into play for him later. :D Next is Prongshipping (Priest Set x Haga).


	192. Prongshipping

_Prongshipping (Priest Set x Insector Haga)_

_(...I don't even...)_

* * *

He reached up on tip toe, reaching as far as his little arms would go. His glasses threatened to slip off, but he didn't notice, so intent was he on his task.

"Come on," he muttered. "Come here, little guy."

The beetle sat stubbornly out of reach on the glass. Sticking his tongue out in concentration, six-year-old Insector Haga reached just a little bit further...

But it was just a little too much further. With a yelp, he wobbled, wheeling his arms desperately to keep from falling over backwards. He managed to stop his backwards descent, but then instead he headed forward. His face smacked into the display case. The beetle fell from the shaking case, and it skittered away under another case indignantly. Haga groaned, his forehead hurting.

"Oh, Haga! What have you done?"

Haga glanced up at his aunt, shaking her head with dismay.

"Look, you've knocked over some of the pieces in the display case! How can you even do that?"

"Uh...I fell," Haga said, ducking his head.

"Into the display case?"

"There...there was a beetle on the glass, and I wanted to take him outside..."

"It's always a bug, isn't it?" his aunt said, her lip curling. "I can't believe this. I can't take you anywhere!"

Haga ducked his head even further, as though trying to hide in his bangs. His aunt blew out in irritation.

"I'm going to find the museum staff. Hopefully you didn't break anything in that case. Until then, _don't move._"

Haga nodded slightly. His aunt hesitated a moment longer. Then he could hear her heels clicking away across the marbled floors, until the sound disappeared completely. Only then did Haga look up. The items inside the case had, in fact, fallen over. One of the jars looked slightly cracked, and Haga withered. He was going to be in so much trouble.

He put his hand to the glass, staring at what he had done. Then he looked around, wondering where the beetle had gone off to. It had been really big and black. He had liked it a lot. Much more than the dusty old history here. He had asked his aunt to take him to the natural history museum, because there was a big insect exhibition coming up. But she had said something about curing his unnatural obsession with creepy-crawlies, and took him here instead.

Haga leaned against the display case to wait. He stared at the floor.

"Mom would have taken me to see the insect exhibit," he whispered to himself.

"Is something the matter?"

The voice was accented with something Haga didn't recognize. He looked up to see a tall, bronze-skinned man standing in front of him. Blue eyes looked out from under a mop of thick brown hair, piercing and somehow understanding.

"No," Haga said quickly. "Nothing's wrong."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Haga looked back down, hoping the man would leave. He wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. But the man didn't move. After a moment, he bent down to look into the display case.

"I see some things have fallen over," he said. "That wouldn't happen to be your fault, would it?"

Haga blushed furiously, but still didn't look up.

"It...it was an accident," he said. "I was reaching for a beetle. I fell."

The man didn't respond to that. There was a strange stillness between them for a long moment. Then, a weird, tickling sensation seemed to fall over the room. For a moment, Haga couldn't move. When he could, he looked up. His mouth dropped open. Everything in the display case was standing upright again – not only that, but they looked fixed, as though brand new. They didn't even look like that a moment before he had knocked into them.

The tall man caught his shocked gaze. A slight, sardonic smile twitched at the side of his mouth.

"Those used to belong to Isis," he said. "Nothing real special, actually. They held her kohl and things."

As Haga watched, the brand new shininess of the objects started to fade, until they looked exactly as they had before he had knocked into it. He looked up at the man, awestruck.

"Are...are you a wizard?" he asked breathlessly.

The man shrugged.

"More like a magician, actually. Wizards are something else."

He seemed to consider the boy for a moment.

"Are you alone?" he asked. "Where are your parents?"

Haga ducked his head. He really shouldn't be talking to strangers.

"My mom...died last year," he said anyway. "I don't know about dad. No one talks about him. I'm with my aunt, now. She went to find the museum staff."

When he glanced up again, the man's eyes were hollow, almost sad.

"Parents gone, hm?" he said. "I know the feeling."

He looked away for a moment. Then he turned around and walked to another display case. He stared in there for a moment, and Haga thought their conversation was over. But then the man leaned down and stuck his hand under the display case.

"_Iew, Khepri,"_ he said softly, in a language Haga did not know. _"Iew."_

Nothing happened for a moment. Then the man stood up and walked back to Haga. Haga drew in a breath, and his eyes widened as he saw what the man held. It was the black beetle he had been trying to get to before!

"This is a scarab," the man said softly. "Did you know that the ancient Egyptians used to worship this little bug?"

Haga listened with wide eyes, absolutely fascinated. He didn't know about this. People used to worship bugs?

"It pushes a ball of dung across the earth, in the same way that Khepri rolls the sun, Ra, across the sky every day," the man said.

He spoke to Haga, but his eyes seemed to be somewhere else entirely. Slowly, he took Haga's little hands and opened them up. The beetle hesitated, and then crawled into Haga's waiting hands. Haga held the scarab gently, staring with wonder at it.

But when he looked up back at the man...

He was gone.

* * *

A/N: I don't claim to be able to speak ancient Egyptian, and I apologize for my inevitable terrible Google inspired translation and grammar. Khepri is a real Egyptian god, though, and everything I said about the dung beetle/scarab _should_ be true. (Notice the disclaimer XD). This one gave me so much trouble until I remembered the scarab beetle. I thought it was a good segway between Haga and Egypt. And in my head canon, Haga's mom died of cancer when he was little, and his dad has never really been in the picture. I thought Set might sympathize with him, having lost his own mother to bandits and never really knowing who his father was because he had to leave them behind. Anyway, that's about as close as I can bring these two. Next is Promiseshipping (Yami no Yugi x Yugi x Mokuba).


	193. Promiseshipping

_Promiseshipping (Mokuba x Yami no Yugi x Yugi)_

* * *

Too many promises had been broken in his life.

"_We'll be right back, Moki. Promise."_

Yeah, right.

"_We're doing everything we can for your mother. She's in critical condition, but we promise we'll get her back."_

Uh-huh, sure.

"_Mokuba, I promise, no matter what happens, I will never, ever leave you."_

Sure, Seto-nii. Easy enough to say when you're ten years old.

"_I promise I will get your brother back for you."_

Really? Could Yugi really promise him that? Even the "back" Yugi, with his red eyes and talent for gaming, would have a hard time delivering on a promise like that. Mokuba wasn't ready to believe him. Wasn't ready to believe anyone. Those red eyes burn into him, like hot brands.

"Mokuba," he says. "You have to trust me. I will not lose to Pegasus. I will protect you, your brother, and your brother's dream. Can you trust me?"

No, he wants to say. But he can do nothing but sit there and tremble, the star chips clutched in his hand. So easy. It would be so easy to reach out and hand them over. So easy to trust again – so easy to be lost again.

"Mokuba," the red-eyed Yugi pleads. "I _promise_ you. I won't lose."

But Mokuba is shaking his head.

"Everyone promises! Everyone says one thing and then it doesn't happen! No one can ever keep a promise! So why even bother trusting anyone?!"

A pause. Mokuba is looking right at him, right at the red-eyed Yugi, and yet he doesn't notice when they switch. But then he is looking into soft, purple eyes, eyes that are sad and yet determined.

"He means it," the "front" Yugi says. "_I_ promise you. The other me will not lose. I have something at stake in this, too, Mokuba. And I know that we will win."

Mokuba can't trust him. He can't even trust his own brother, how can he trust this...this kid that has two different personalities? He must need to go to a mental institution – heck, maybe even Mokuba needs to go to a mental institution. This whole world is screwed up, and there's nothing Mokuba can do to fix it. He tries, but he knows he can't solve anything.

"How can you promise that so easily? You don't know whether you'll win! And just saying you'll try your best isn't enough!"

Red eyes now.

"Try my best? That was never my plan. I'm going to win, Mokuba, plain and simple. And I will save you and your brother at the same time."

Mokuba shakes his head. He trembles harder. But how can Yugi be so confident? How can he be so sure? How can he promise him that so easily? There's no way he can pull through!

But those determined purple eyes meet his gaze steadily. They flicker into a sharp red. Purple again. Red again. Two different gazes looking right into him. It's almost as though two voices speak to him this time.

"We won't lose," Yugi said. "That we can promise."

Mokuba drew in a breath.

"Okay," he said. "I guess...if you promise."

* * *

**A/N: Aw, poor Mokuba-kun. :( Next is Prodigyshipping (Seto x Rebecca).**


	194. Prodigyshipping

_Prodigyshipping (Seto x Rebecca)_

* * *

He really shouldn't have noticed her at all. What he should have been doing was headed to a business meeting, which, instead of taking place in a company conference room _like it should_, was being held in a small teacher's lounge in an American middle school. Seto growled under his breath and decided to make this deal as difficult as possible for his prospective partner. The man was a paranoid maniac, convinced his ideas were amazing (which, some of them were, admittedly) and that people would try to steal them. He refused to do business in a company, claiming his intellectual property would be stolen.

So Seto Kaiba was stalking down an empty middle school hallway, annoyingly lost and about to be late for the meeting. Well. Maybe that would serve the lunatic right.

His eyes flicked into each room, looking for the right number or some sign that he was in the right hallway. But every classroom looked the same, and it was starting to get on Seto's nerves. So when he saw someone sitting in one of the rooms, it made him do a double-take to make sure he had actually seen someone.

The blonde girl sat at a desk, her face leaned against her hand. She looked bored out of her skull. Her glasses were slipping down her nose, but she didn't move to fix them. In front of her was a piece of paper. From here, he couldn't really see what it was, but it appeared to be half covered in writing and half covered in numbers. Her pencil sat on the floor, forgotten beside her.

He glanced at the door plate. Under the room number, the words "Detention Center" were written. Looking at the girl, he couldn't see what she had done that merited detention, but sometimes, you could never tell by looking. For a moment, he considered asking her where the teacher's lounge was. Or, better idea, there had to be a teacher supervising her in there that he could ask. He hated to ask for help, but if he wanted to get there, it seemed he didn't have a choice. Damn American schools, with their different set ups and confusing, sprawling hallways.

He pushed through the door with a snap. The girl looked up, startled. And then, Seto suddenly recognized her. It was Rebecca Hopkins, one of the competitors in his KC Grand Prix, one of Yugi's friends. He groaned mentally: couldn't he go anywhere without running into someone connected to Yugi?

He gave the room a cursory glance and was surprised to find that there wasn't a teacher in sight. So he turned his eyes to Rebecca, wondering if she recognized him. It was a stupid thought – of course she recognized him.

"What are you doing here?" Rebecca demanded.

"That's not really your business, is it?"

"Is it Mr. Faust and his pitch?"

It took Seto half a second to process what she had said. It took another half a second for him to regain his composure – how had she known that? He didn't get a chance to ask her.

"He thinks he's safer in a school than in a company," Rebecca said, sounding almost bored. "He doesn't realize that American schools have security systems. And those are really easy to hack compared to the other stuff I've gotten into."

"Oh, really?" Seto said, annoyed now. "And I suppose you think you're some kind of genius?"

"Pretty much," Rebecca said, shrugging. "I heard you were quite the child prodigy yourself. It shouldn't be so surprising."

Seto glared at her for a minute. But she was right, he had been labeled a prodigy as a child. He had hated it, too – everyone always simultaneously praising him to his face and being worried about him behind his back. The teachers had never gotten it. And Gozaburo had exploited it.

He shook his head.

"So you hacked the school security system. Why?"

"I saw Mr. Faust outside a couple days ago. I knew who he was, wondered why he was here, wanted to find out," she said. "And I did."

Seto's lips twitched slightly.

"Curious, aren't you?"

"Aren't you?" Rebecca shot back. "You'd have done the same, I expect."

Seto shrugged. But, he realized, she was right. He remembered when he was ten, just after Gozaburo had adopted him and Mokuba, he had hacked into the mansion's security system and reprogrammed it to make duck noises when the fire alarm was pulled. Mokuba had thought it was hilarious. But he had just been trying to distract Gozaburo from the fact that he had really synched his personal computer to the security cameras, so he could watch Gozaburo's secret meetings.

Seto studied Rebecca for a minute. What was she doing here, anyway? A smart girl like her shouldn't be in middle school anymore. America was a lot more flexible when it came to moving up grades, more than Japan, anyway.

"Why are you in detention?" Seto asked.

"That's none of your business," Rebecca said petulantly.

Seto half smirked, and yanked the piece of paper out from under Rebecca's hand.

"Hey!"

Rebecca tried to snatch it back, but Seto was much taller than her, and it was child's play to keep it out of her reach.

"'I will not correct my teacher,'" he read out loud. "Repeated several times, and then replaced with a page and a half of calculus."

Rebecca's cheeks burned.

"He...he was teaching the Pythagorean Theorem wrong," she said. "And I got bored of repeating the sentence, okay?"

She managed to take her paper back from him. Angrily, she crumpled it into a ball and threw it across the room.

"Your teacher's not going to like that," Seto said dryly.

"I don't care. He's a jerk," Rebecca said. There was heat in her words, and Seto was almost surprised that she didn't set the desks on fire with her breath.

Seto looked down at the girl for a long moment. Her arms folded, her face red with anger, the paper crumpled on the other side of the room...the calculus and complex theories chasing themselves around in her head, unable to be unleashed because something was holding her back.

Seto's lip curled. For some reason, this was making him a lot more irritated than he had been before. He glanced back into the hallway.

"Where's your supervisor?" he asked.

Rebecca shrugged.

"Who knows? He never sticks around."

"So why haven't you left yet?"

Rebecca stared at him.

"But...then I'd get in more trouble," she said slowly.

"Who's here to tell them that you weren't?" Seto said, raising an eyebrow. "You know, Hopkins, the first thing about changing the things you hate about life is to start breaking a few rules."

"I don't think that's what they want to teach us here."

"Well, maybe they phrase it as 'taking advantage of the situation,' or 'making the most out of what you have,' but it all means the same thing. You should know that. You're a genius, apparently."

Rebecca looked up at him for a long, long moment. Then a smile crossed her face.

"You know," she said. "You're not as big of a jerk face as I thought you were."

Seto's eyes narrowed in annoyance, but Rebecca was already darting towards the door. She hesitated for a brief moment in the threshold.

"Oh, and Mr. Faust is in the teacher's lounge, down the hallway, to the left, second door on the right," she said.

And then she was gone. Seto stared after her for a moment. How had she known he was lost?

Then he shook his head.

"Child geniuses," he muttered.

And he stalked out of the room.

* * *

**A/N: If not for the age difference, I would support this pairing. Next is Prizeshipping (Seto x Mokuba x Yami no Yugi).**


	195. Prizeshipping

_Prizeshipping (Seto x Mokuba x Yami no Yugi)_

* * *

_(based off of the penalty game Yami no Yugi gave Seto in the manga, after Death-T)_

* * *

He sat in complete darkness, fumbling with cold, metal pieces, trying to figure out how they fit together. He was somewhat aware that this wasn't quite real, but he was not aware of anything at the same time. Each piece came slowly, and with difficulty. He had to feel every corner, every curve with his fingers, unable to see them in the dark, before he could fit them together. It was funny, but he didn't know why he was doing this. It was almost as if he didn't have any other choice.

He only vaguely remembered why he was here. Something like...red, flashing eyes, burning into him...but it wasn't clear enough for him to think about. He couldn't seem to get a single piece together. It was hard, in the darkness. He couldn't remember why it was dark. But he had to put the pieces together. That was the only way out.

He picked up a new piece, feeling around the edges. There was something...broken, about this. Something ragged and hurt. Like there were chips broken off.

"_Brotherly love means nothing in games!"_

The voice was harsh, so harsh that it made him wince. Was that him? Was that his voice? He felt along the edges of the piece again.

"_Only the winner can leave that Battle Box!"_

"_Damnit, Kaiba – even your own brother?"_

That other voice wasn't his. He remembered the red eyes again. Had the red eyes put him here? He couldn't remember.

There was a little boy crying beside him, all of a sudden.

"_Seto," _he whispered. _"I'm scared."_

And then he was gone again. His fingers clenched around the ragged piece. No, no, this isn't what he wanted. He didn't want this for Mokuba. Everything he had done, everything he had wanted was Mokuba to be happy. Right? He had done that, right? Where...where had he lost it? Where was Mokuba now?

He ran his fingers up and down the ragged piece, barely aware that he was doing it. Was Mokuba okay? The piece seemed to be getting smoother. Was Mokuba going to be okay until he finished this? The piece got still smoother. Could he finish this puzzle in time to find Mokuba again?

"_Put your heart back together, Seto,"_ a soft voice whispered. _"So this time, there can be no mistakes."_

The boy with red eyes stood in front of him. Although the red should have looked harsh, even somewhat evil, there was none of that now. They were only soft. He reached into the darkness, pulled out another piece, and pressed it into Seto's hand.

"_Put it back together, Seto,"_ Yami no Yugi said. _"Because Mokuba is waiting."_

And then he was gone too. Seto looked down at the two pieces in his hands. Somehow, he could see them now, although the darkness hadn't changed. Carefully, he fit them together.

They fit perfectly.

* * *

**A/N: This one gave me a bit of trouble, I'll admit. Next is Prideshipping (Seto x Yami no Yugi).**


	196. Prideshipping

_Prideshipping (Seto x Yami no Yugi)_

* * *

Ordinary people hated to be around them when they were in close proximity. Even those close to them found it grating to get too near, especially when they were in conflict – which was pretty much always. It seemed like their auras pressed against each other, neither willing to give up air space to the other. The pressure was so great, it sometimes seemed as though sparks might fly from the friction between their prides.

It had never been worse than on Pegasus' castle.

More than the monsters clashing together, it was as though their very souls were attacking each other. Neither could possibly lose. Both had more at stake than they cared to admit. Gaining what they had lost required beating the other down – at the cost of losing the other's stake.

The other side of Yugi stood tense and tall, as if to make up for the height difference between them. Red eyes flashed across the battlefield. As the air heated with the friction of battle, his stance only grew tenser. The easy confidence he had held at the beginning of the battle was starting to wear, and now, beads of sweat were forming on his brow. This was for Yugi. He had to save Yugi's grandfather – no matter what the cost. He had to defeat Pegasus. But he had to get there first, and _he_ stood in his way. So he tried to tell himself, so he tried to convince himself that that was why he was fighting, but he could not deny the truth: he didn't think he could allow himself to lose, even if the stakes hadn't been so high. He absolutely did not want to lose...especially to _him._

Seto Kaiba stood as stiffly as ever, his blue eyes hard and cold when meeting his opponent's gaze. His knuckles were white, they gripped the cards so tightly. But even his cold facade was starting to wear down, even as his opponent's did. He could not determine the outcome of this duel. He wasn't sure he wanted to. He held the right cards – but his opponent somehow managed to counter every move, even as he himself counter-countered his opponent's. Neither could gain a clear advantage over the other. But Seto was running out of time. Mokuba was waiting – who knew what terrible place Pegasus was holding the small boy. If he lost here, he would never save Mokuba. But, he barely liked to admit, that wasn't the only reason he was tense. It wasn't even the main reason. He simply did not want to lose. Especially to _him. _He told himself that this was for Mokuba. As he stepped back towards the edge of the wall and threatened to kill himself, he told himself it was for Mokuba.

But it wasn't. Not really.

Blue eyes met red eyes. Red eyes met blue eyes.

They could rationalize all they wanted. They could say they had a reason for fighting. But the truth was right in front of them.

They just didn't want to lose to each other.

* * *

**A/N: Prideshipping is one of the reasons why I hate yaoi. Especially Yu-Gi-Oh yaoi. Seriously, I went looking for inspiration by reading other Prideshipping fics and...ew. Sorry, but I wouldn't want to read about that stuff in a het relationship, so I don't want to read about it in a slash relationship either. Next is Pressureshipping (Sakate x Kotsuzaka).**


	197. Pressureshipping

_Pressureshipping (Satake x Kotsuzaka)_

* * *

_(Don't know which one Satake is...well, it doesn't matter, those two are kind of interchangeable anyways.)_

* * *

"Come on."

"No."

"Do it!"

"No."

"Don't be a chicken!"

"I'm not gonna do it!"

"Chicken, chicken, chicken! Bak bak bak!"

"S-Shut up! I'm not scared!"

"Prove it!"

Kotsuzaka looked especially emaciated in the ghostly light of the flashlight, eyes gleaming eerily out from his deep, dark sockets. Satake sat across from him, his arms folded tightly in an attempt to pretend that they weren't shaking.

In between them was a ouija board.

"Come on, it's not fun to do this by myself," Kotsuzaka said. "Let's see what kind of ghost lives in this mansion!"

"No," Satake said again. "I agreed to spending the night in the 'haunted mansion,' not trying to actively annoy the ghosts!"

"You said you didn't believe in ghosts," Kotsuzaka said slyly.

"I – I don't!" Satake said, his face going red.

"Then to you, the ouija board is just a cheap trick! So there's nothing to be afraid of!"

"Stop trying to pressure me, Kotsuzaka!"

"Do it!"

"No!"

"Come on!"

"No!"

"You know you want to."

"I know I don't want to."

Kotsuzaka glowered at him. Great, now he was going to throw a fit, and then he was going to sulk. And then Satake would probably end up doing the ouija board with him just to get him out of his annoying sulk mode. He had to think of something fast.

His eyes cast about the room. They fell on Kotsuzaka's Dueling deck poking out of his overnight bag.

"Hey, I've got a better idea," Satake said.

"No, you don't," Kotsuzaka said sulkily. "You're just trying to change the subject."

"Let's play Duel Monsters," Satake said. "You can see what happens when you play ghost and zombie monsters in a haunted house."

Kotsuzaka blinked. He looked interested in spite of himself.

"We can even use the Duel Disks," Satake prodded. "If you don't see any real ghosts, that'll look pretty cool, right?"

Kotsuzaka seemed ready to disagree for no other reason than he didn't want to do anything Satake suggested. But he gave in.

"Fine," he said, grabbing his stuff. "You win. But, hey, if I beat you, you have to do the ouija board with me."

Satake winced.

He hadn't thought of that.

* * *

**A/N: I found that rather amusing. ^-^ Next is Prankshipping (Jonouchi x Seto x Noa x Mokuba).**


	198. Prankshipping

_Prankshipping (Jonouchi x Seto x Noa x Mokuba)_

* * *

"Seto-nii is going to be so mad," Mokuba groaned.

"That's why we're doing this," Jonouchi said. "It's going to be hilarious."

"I don't think I've ever seen Seto snap," Noa said. "This is going to be fun."

Mokuba stared at the two strange peas in a pod, and he groaned.

"I'm going to be in so much trouble," he groaned.

The three sat in Noa's bedroom, which was formerly the second guest room, and before that, Noa's actual bedroom. The room was usually as neat as a pin – Noa often lectured Mokuba on the importance of tidiness. But today, the deep green carpet was scattered with jars, lids, towels, and various food stuffs. Even Noa's precious work desk was covered in papers with sketches and maps of the house.

Noa sat on the bed, snipping the heads off of matches. Jonouchi was sprawled on the floor, measuring out vinegar.

"Seto is going to kill you guys," Mokuba tried again.

"He's gonna hafta catch me first," Jonouchi sniggered.

Mokuba tried to remember again how Noa and Jonouchi had become friends. He failed miserably. He must not have been there when the two officially met in the real world. Still, he thought it was weird that they had gotten so close so quickly. Maybe it was their mutual desire to annoy his big brother. Mokuba squirmed in his seat, unsure of what to do.

Jonouchi dropped vinegar into a jar, and shut it as quickly as he could. He started to shake it like mad, and then he set it down.

"That's the last one," he said with a grin. "How about you, Noa?"

Noa dropped the match heads into a bottle. Then he grabbed a bottle and started pouring some kind of liquid inside. He closed it up quick.

"Done," he affirmed.

"Great!" Jonouchi said. "We're ready! I wish we could've done the eggs one, though."

"It's the difference between getting blown up at and getting killed," Noa said, matter-of-factly. "If we had thrown stinky eggs at Seto, he'd kill us for ruining his jacket."

"Good point," Jonouchi said.

"Guys," Mokuba said. "Can we not do this?"

"Oh, lighten up, Mokuba," Jonouchi said. He got up to clap Mokuba on the shoulder. "Your big brother probably needs one of these once in a while. Now come on, help us set up the stink bombs."

"Yeah, he could be home at any minute," Noa said glancing out the window.

"Who could be home at any minute?" an icy voice said.

Noa and Jonouchi just about leaped out of their skins. Seto Kaiba was standing in the doorway, arms folded and eyes flashing.

"Oh, nii-sama," Mokuba said. He trotted over to his big brother. "You're home really early."

"We finished the paperwork for the new deal quickly," Seto said, without taking his eyes off of Jonouchi and Noa. "And what are you doing here, Jonouchi?"

"Um, science project?" Jonouchi tried.

"Really," Seto said.

He picked up one of the jars and looked at it for a moment. Then, something strange happened. He smirked.

"Oops," he said, unscrewing the lid of the jar.

"Wait!" Noa said.

Too late. The jar was open. Seto put it down on the floor, turned on his heel, and walked out of the room.

The stench of the stink bomb spread quickly. As Noa and Jonouchi clamped their hands over their noses, Mokuba decided that now was a good time to leave. He jogged out of the room as Noa and Jonouchi started scrambling for the jar, trying to close it before the smell got worse. They started bickering as Mokuba left the room behind.

"Dammit, close, it quick!"

"The smell's already out, nimrod! We shouldn't have been working on this in my room!"

"How was I supposed to know we were gonna get out-pranked by the living stone column?"

Mokuba caught up with his brother and the sounds and smell disappeared behind.

"How'd you know it was a stink bomb, nii-sama?" Mokuba asked, trying to keep in step with his brother's long strides.

Seto's lips turned up in that smirk again. But he didn't give Mokuba an answer.

* * *

**A/N: Ha, Seto. That was pretty smooth. :) Next is Powershipping (Seto x Marik).**


	199. Powershipping

_Powershipping (Seto x Marik)_

* * *

He was the man in the shadows, the person pulling at the strings.

Seto couldn't wait to meet him face-to-face.

After all, this "Marik" was the reason his tournament existed. He was here to draw his quaint little crime organization out into the open, locate the other two God Cards, and take them for himself. This whole tournament was based on that idea. Just the thought of the upcoming tournament made the air seem to crackle with excitement, although Seto was careful to hide those feeling for others. The day-to-day activities of his company seemed tedious and boring in the days leading to the tournament.

Where was Marik now, he wondered? Was he mobilizing his crime organization even now, to join in the tournament? How tough would those people be to defeat? He could help but be excited to face down each and every one of those "professional card thieves." Especially Marik, and his God Card.

Just get here, he thought at the sky outside. Take the bait. Take my bait, and give up your God Card to me...

The tournament was coming. Marik could hardly believe his luck. All he needed was one more God Card. All he needed was to find the pharaoh. This tournament would give him both. Seto Kaiba must be an idiot – did he really want to risk giving up his precious Blue Eyes White Dragons, or possibly the God Card itself if he had it?

He was an idiot to give Marik such opportunity. To think that he had the upper hand.

Because Marik always had the upper hand. The power was always in Marik's grasp. He would take this opportunity that Seto Kaiba extended to him...and would show his gratitude by crushing the young CEO. He would give up his God Card to Marik Ishtar...

* * *

**A/N: They both think they're one-upping the other. Ha. Next is Powdershipping (Seto x Ryo x Shizuka).**


	200. Powdershipping

_Powdershipping (Seto x Ryo x Shizuka)_

* * *

_(I like having parties at Ryo's house. That seems to be a trend for me.)_

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"Okay, so now, add the milk and sugar and stir well," Ryo read aloud from the recipe.

Shizuka seemed to be familiar with the recipe without Ryo's help, as she was already nodding and pouring the milk. Ryo measured out the sugar and added it to the mix.

"Oh, and I always add an extra half teaspoon of vanilla," Shizuka said. "I did by accident once, and it made the cake taste better."

Ryo nodded, and added the extra vanilla.

They were in Ryo's kitchen, finishing up the party preparations. Yugi and the others were already in the other room, and the laughter filtered in through the doorless opening of the kitchen.

"Sounds like a party in here," Shizuka said with a small laugh.

"Yeah," Ryo said. He smiled. "It makes the whole house feel brighter."

He glanced across at Shizuka. There was a look of intense concentration on her face as she stirred the cake batter. She had pulled her auburn hair back into a pony tail, but her bangs still fell thickly over her light brown eyes. Suddenly, he realized he was staring, and he looked away quickly. He moved to start washing the dishes instead. However, inevitably, his eyes wandered back to Shizuka. She really was pretty...

He found a blush coming to his cheeks and looked quickly away to the dishes again. Probably, the cycle would have continued, but he heard the soft creak of the floor outside the kitchen.

"Oh, Kaiba-san," Shizuka said brightly. "Mokuba-kun! I didn't think you were coming."

Ryo glanced up, surprised. Sure enough, Seto Kaiba and Mokuba Kaiba were standing in the door of the kitchen. Mokuba smiled brightly, trotting into the kitchen to give Shizuka a hug. Shizuka's smile lit up her whole face, and Ryo had to look away before he blushed again. Seto, unlike his brother, had a tense expression and a stiff posture. Just about anyone could see that he was only here because Mokuba wanted to come.

"Hello, Kaiba-san," Ryo said. "How are you?"

Kaiba grunted noncommittally.

"Everyone's out in the living room," Shizuka said. "Mokuba, I think Rebecca-san has been looking for you."

"Okay," Mokuba said. For a second, it looked like he didn't want to leave the kitchen. But then he trotted into the next room. Seto stayed where he was.

"Don't you want to greet everyone?" Shizuka asked him.

Seto shrugged.

"Don't tell me, you're only here because Mokuba begged, right?" Shizuka said, the hint of a tease in her tone.

Seto glowered at her, but it was half-hearted.

"I was only going to drop him off," he said.

"Oh, don't be a party pooper, Kaiba-san!"

She laughed a little, and it was a nice sound. But her smile wasn't directed towards Ryo this time. This time she was smiling at Seto. Ryo looked down at his dishes.

He was glad his hands were in the water, because no one could see him clenching his fists.

_He doesn't even notice,_ he thought. _He doesn't even notice that her smile is somewhat different for him._

He glanced back up at Shizuka, who was currently trying to tug Seto into the next room while he snapped retorts to her attempts to persuade him to come in. Ryo glanced at her smiling face again, and realized, that she might never smile at him like that.

Surprisingly, the thought hurt.

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**A/N: I make Shizuka such a Mary-Sue. I sincerely apologize, it just seems to happen. But I do think that Ryo would have a crush on her. I really think their personalities complement each other well. Next is Pompshipping (Seto x Miho).**


	201. Pompshipping

_Pompshipping (Miho x Seto)_

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_(Using the manga version again...I kind of like her better. She's easier to write about.)_

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She was scared of him.

Other girls murmured about how hot he was, how amazingly smart and cool he was, his status as a rich CEO...there were hundreds of girls in Domino High that would sell their souls for just ten minutes one-on-one with Seto Kaiba. But not Miho Nosaka.

She supposed it had started towards the beginning of the school year, when he had first transferred in. He smiled kindly at everyone, had a nice, polite laugh, and even Miho had entertained a small crush on him. Despite his high status, his riches, and his intelligence, at the time he had seemed a genuine gentlemen.

But that hadn't lasted long.

Other people started to notice his sudden change into a quiet, reclusive boy, but that only seemed to heighten his appeal. Even when he started to become somewhat snappish and irritable, the girls only got more excited about him. At the time, Miho, too, had found his suddenly cold demeanor fascinating. Until her unfortunate encounter with him in the library.

As the library aide, she was in charge of putting the books away when students returned them. She was busy putting history books away when she noticed him. Kaiba had never come into the library before, or at least, she had never seen him in the library. He was standing in front of the shelves, reading from a book intently, his intense blue eyes scanning the pages. He seemed to be looking for something, and it looked important if his expression was any guess. But apparently, it wasn't what he was looking for, because he snapped it shut angrily and shoved it back on the shelf. He grabbed a new one and started flipping through it.

Miho chanced a peek at the section through her bangs. Ancient civilizations...more specifically, Egypt. Was he doing a research project?

Miho actually had a couple of brand new Egypt books in her stack. A student had requested them a few days ago, and the library sponsor had put in an order. They were the only ones left to put away, but she didn't want to disturb Kaiba. She hovered for a moment, unsure of what to do.

Then Seto's eyes flicked over to her.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh...no," Miho said quickly, ducking her head. "I...I just have these books to put away..."

Seto glanced at the books in her arms. He slid his own book back on the shelf.

"Ancient Egypt?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Let me look at them."

It wasn't a request, and Miho felt a bit miffed, but she handed them over. He flipped through the first one, and put on the shelf instead. The second one, though, made him pause. He stared at the page for a long moment.

Then, just for a moment, a terrible, contorted look flashed across his features. It was so angry that it made Miho take a step back, made her draw in a breath. She had never seen anyone glare with so much force...he wasn't even looking at her, and it made her want to break down and cry!

The glare faded, hidden behind a carefully constructed mask. But the mask did not stop his anger, and he simply dropped the book on the floor. Without a word, he stalked from the room. Miho could not move for a full minute. Her heart wouldn't stop racing. Even her palms were sweaty. It was as though some primal fear had been awakened in her by that single expression.

Once she recovered herself, she chanced a look at the page he had been glaring at, still open on the floor.

"The...Mystery...of," she read upside down. "The...Nameless...Pharaoh..."

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**A/N: Seto didn't want to admit what Ishizu told him was real, and went looking for more information about the Nameless Pharaoh to make sure the whole giant rock thing wasn't a hoax. He wasn't happy to find out it was real. And he scared poor Miho. Next is Polarshipping (Jonouchi x Mai). Yay, one of my favorites!**


End file.
